To: County board of commissioners

Tell county commissioners: support cat programming in Lawrence County

Lawrence County deserves access to resources that can help create a healthier, happier community. County leaders don’t believe that many of these resources are necessary or that the community cares about cats. On the heels of a pandemic and with so many people hurting, community leaders are refusing opportunities and resources that would help save cats’ lives.

We need the city council to understand the community wants access to opportunities and resources for community cats including their sterilization. Lawrence County deserves access to Trap-Neuter-Return programming for the cats and people.

Why is this important?

Community cats (aka stray or free-roaming cats) risk losing their lives simply because they've made a home in the outdoors. In many cases, they are brought to local shelters where they are at risk of being killed. Many of these cats are thriving living outdoors because someone in their community cares for them.

That's where community cat programs come in. These programs use trap-neuter-return (TNR) to save cats. The process is simple: Community cats are trapped, evaluated by veterinarians, vaccinated, spayed or neutered, ear-tipped, and returned to their outdoor homes, unable to have kittens.

Lifesaving programs like these are proven to be the most cost-effective, veterinarian-approved, and animal-friendly solutions for controlling and reducing free-roaming cat populations.

Your voice is a critical part of ensuring that pets and people in Lawrence County have access to these resources. Become part of a driven and diverse group of people who believe that all pets and people deserve compassion, and that -- when we work together -- we can create real change for pets in need.

Reference the facts:

Community cats and public health: https://www.felineresearch.org/post/issue-brief-feral-cats-and-public-health

TNR and population management: https://www.felineresearch.org/post/issue-brief-what-to-do-with-feral-cats-examining-tnr

Cat health and welfare with TNR: https://www.felineresearch.org/post/issue-brief-feral-cat-health