Outcomes of a Community Cat Program Based on Sterilization of Owned, Semi-Owned and Unowned Cats in a Small Rural Town
Free-roaming cats in urban and peri-urban areas and in rural towns pose significant challenges due to their nuisance behaviors, threats to wildlife, and potential disease transmission. Traditional management methods often involve trapping and euthanizing many of these cats, which is not only costly...
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MDPI AG
2024-10-01
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| author | Jacquie Rand Abithaswathi M. Saraswathy Joy Verrinder Mandy B. A. Paterson |
| author_facet | Jacquie Rand Abithaswathi M. Saraswathy Joy Verrinder Mandy B. A. Paterson |
| author_sort | Jacquie Rand |
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| description | Free-roaming cats in urban and peri-urban areas and in rural towns pose significant challenges due to their nuisance behaviors, threats to wildlife, and potential disease transmission. Traditional management methods often involve trapping and euthanizing many of these cats, which is not only costly but also distressing for the shelter staff involved, and have failed to reduce numbers of impounded cats or cat-related complaints. Our study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a Community Cat Program that provided free sterilization, microchipping, and preventative veterinary care for all owned, semi-owned, and unowned cats in a small rural town with high cat impoundments in Ipswich, Queensland. The program was instigated by the Australian Pet Welfare Foundation in collaboration with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Queensland and the Animal Welfare League, Queensland, and it was funded by various organizations including Fondation Brigitte Bardot. Data from 2017 to 2023 were analyzed to assess the impact of the program on cat intake and outcomes in local shelters. A total of 308 cats were sterilized, representing 94 cats per 1000 residents over 3.4 years, and in the third year, this was associated with a 60% decrease in cat intake, an 85% reduction in numbers euthanized and 39% fewer cat-related calls to the local council. These findings suggest that high-intensity, targeted sterilization programs significantly decrease shelter intake and euthanasia, and thus alleviate the psychological burden on staff. These programs are a humane and effective alternative to traditional cat management, and benefit animal welfare as well as community wellbeing. This is aligned with a One Welfare approach, which enhances the well-being of animals, humans, and their environments. Legislative changes are required to support these programs to effectively decrease the numbers of free-roaming cats in cities and towns and the issues they cause, while protecting human wellbeing. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj-art-1fa4d35ee36f4eceba31404e99d159412024-11-08T14:32:23ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152024-10-011421305810.3390/ani14213058Outcomes of a Community Cat Program Based on Sterilization of Owned, Semi-Owned and Unowned Cats in a Small Rural TownJacquie Rand0Abithaswathi M. Saraswathy1Joy Verrinder2Mandy B. A. Paterson3Australian Pet Welfare Foundation, Brisbane, QLD 4064, AustraliaAustralian Pet Welfare Foundation, Brisbane, QLD 4064, AustraliaAnimal Welfare League, Coombabah, QLD 4216, AustraliaThe University of Queensland, Faculty of Science, School of Veterinary Science, Gatton Campus, Gatton, QLD 4343, AustraliaFree-roaming cats in urban and peri-urban areas and in rural towns pose significant challenges due to their nuisance behaviors, threats to wildlife, and potential disease transmission. Traditional management methods often involve trapping and euthanizing many of these cats, which is not only costly but also distressing for the shelter staff involved, and have failed to reduce numbers of impounded cats or cat-related complaints. Our study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a Community Cat Program that provided free sterilization, microchipping, and preventative veterinary care for all owned, semi-owned, and unowned cats in a small rural town with high cat impoundments in Ipswich, Queensland. The program was instigated by the Australian Pet Welfare Foundation in collaboration with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Queensland and the Animal Welfare League, Queensland, and it was funded by various organizations including Fondation Brigitte Bardot. Data from 2017 to 2023 were analyzed to assess the impact of the program on cat intake and outcomes in local shelters. A total of 308 cats were sterilized, representing 94 cats per 1000 residents over 3.4 years, and in the third year, this was associated with a 60% decrease in cat intake, an 85% reduction in numbers euthanized and 39% fewer cat-related calls to the local council. These findings suggest that high-intensity, targeted sterilization programs significantly decrease shelter intake and euthanasia, and thus alleviate the psychological burden on staff. These programs are a humane and effective alternative to traditional cat management, and benefit animal welfare as well as community wellbeing. This is aligned with a One Welfare approach, which enhances the well-being of animals, humans, and their environments. Legislative changes are required to support these programs to effectively decrease the numbers of free-roaming cats in cities and towns and the issues they cause, while protecting human wellbeing.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/21/3058urban cat managementsterilizationcommunity cat programeuthanasiaone welfareenforcement-based cat management |
| spellingShingle | Jacquie Rand Abithaswathi M. Saraswathy Joy Verrinder Mandy B. A. Paterson Outcomes of a Community Cat Program Based on Sterilization of Owned, Semi-Owned and Unowned Cats in a Small Rural Town Animals urban cat management sterilization community cat program euthanasia one welfare enforcement-based cat management |
| title | Outcomes of a Community Cat Program Based on Sterilization of Owned, Semi-Owned and Unowned Cats in a Small Rural Town |
| title_full | Outcomes of a Community Cat Program Based on Sterilization of Owned, Semi-Owned and Unowned Cats in a Small Rural Town |
| title_fullStr | Outcomes of a Community Cat Program Based on Sterilization of Owned, Semi-Owned and Unowned Cats in a Small Rural Town |
| title_full_unstemmed | Outcomes of a Community Cat Program Based on Sterilization of Owned, Semi-Owned and Unowned Cats in a Small Rural Town |
| title_short | Outcomes of a Community Cat Program Based on Sterilization of Owned, Semi-Owned and Unowned Cats in a Small Rural Town |
| title_sort | outcomes of a community cat program based on sterilization of owned semi owned and unowned cats in a small rural town |
| topic | urban cat management sterilization community cat program euthanasia one welfare enforcement-based cat management |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/21/3058 |
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