1. Targeted TNR: Making an Impact
New England Federation of Humane Societies 2016
Targeted TNR: Making an Impact
Bryan Kortis

2. Community TNR Print version www.amazon.com (search for “Kortis”)
Pdf file
for a copy

3. The mission Reduce the free-roaming cat population
Provide humane care for existing cats
New! Lower euthanasia at shelters with Return to Field 3

4. Accomplishing the mission leads to:
Lower intake & euthanasia
Fewer nuisance complaints
Rabies vaccinations
Less predation
Improved animal welfare 4

5. Tactics Community TNR Program Grassroots Mobilization Targeting
Return to Field
Grassroots Mobilization
Intensive TNR in colonies & areas with high numbers of cats
Spay/neuter & return healthy, unadoptable cats brought to shelters
Provide public w/training, equipment, support & free or low-cost services
Reduce cat population, intake & complaints
Reduce euthanasia, promote culture change
Build awareness, gradual population decline 5

6. Tactics Community TNR Program Grassroots Mobilization Targeting
Return to Field
Grassroots Mobilization
Intensive TNR in colonies & areas with high numbers of cats
Spay/neuter & return healthy, unadoptable cats brought to shelters
Provide public w/training, equipment, support & free or low-cost services
Reduce cat population, intake & complaints
Reduce euthanasia, promote culture change
Build awareness, gradual population decline 6

7. What is “targeting”?
Concentrating limited resources in a geographic area of high need in order to maximize impact.
Concentration
Limited resources
Geographic
High need
Maximum impact 7 7

8. Geographic targeting: policing
Operation Impact (NY City) –
assign extra officers to high crime areas 8 8

9. Geographic targeting: policing9 9

10. Poverty alleviation
Allocation of resources to low income communities – social workers, outreach, food banks
New York City 2011 10 10

11. Public health AIDS & HIV cases – medical workers, clinics, outreach
New York City 2010 11 11

12. Wildlife conservation
Elephant range in Myanamar – land preservation, officers, outreach 12 12

13. Demographic targeting 13 13

14. Target is geographically defined
YES NO
Downtown district
Elderly caretakers 14

15. Targeting: colony level TNR15 15

16. Targeting: colony level TNR
2 of 10 cats neutered
Low colony
sterilization
rate
No impact on growth of colony 16 16

17. Targeting: colony level TNR
100%
Sterilization
Zero reproduction
Colony size decline over time 17 17

18. Feralville
100 cats
20 s/n’s 18 18

19. Low colony sterilization rates
No targeting
Low colony sterilization rates 19 19

20. Colony level targeting
High sterilization rates in targeted colonies 20 20

21. Community level targeting
High sterilization rates in targeted colonies +
Negate the vacuum effect 21 21

22. The vacuum effect
RALPH’S 22

23. All 10 cats removed
RALPH’S 23

24. Problem?
RALPH’S 24

25. Ralph’s is surrounded by intact colonies25

26. Adam & Eve show up, attracted by the food
RALPH’S 26

27. Colony size grows back to 10
RALPH’S 27

28. TNR instead of removal
RALPH’S
TNR 28

29. 10 sterilized cats – no reproduction
RALPH’S 29

30. Later – 5 cats remain with food for 10
RALPH’S 30

31. The neighborhood 31

32. New intact cats arrive, attracted by excess food
RALPH’S 32

33. Community level targeting: prevent vacuum effect
RALPH’S 33

34. Identifying the Target Area
Reality = uneven distribution among zip codes 34 34

35. Identifying the Target Area
Where is the hot spot?
Intake into local shelters broken down by location of origin
Complaint calls/requests for assistance by location.
Tribal knowledge (experience of local animal welfare groups, animal control, shelters) 35 35

36. Microsoft MapPoint Vineland, NJ 1,015 cat intakes in 2012
Thanks to Donna Beron!
MapPoint: 36 36

37. Poverty & cat populations
Boston, MA
Patronek, G., Mapping and measuring disparities in welfare for cats across neighborhoods in a large US city (2010) American Journal of Veterinary Research 71(2):161-8. 37 37

38. How many cats are there? No accurate formula As much art as science 38

39. Calculating # of free-roaming cats
(1) Start = divide human population by 15
Based on research data counting number of free-roaming cats fed on a daily basis
(2) Adjust according to ground space
More rural means more cats per capita (= lower divider)
More urban means fewer cats per capita (= higher divider)
Adjust according to climate
Warmer climate means more cats per capita
Colder climate means fewer cats per capita
(4) Adjust according to tribal knowledge
Based on local experience, past TNR activity and expertise, does the number make sense? If not, what does? 39 39

40. Calculating # of spay/neuter surgeries
For high impact, need to alter a “substantial percentage” of the cats.
Aim for 50% or above of estimated population
Proceed a colony at a time, as close to 100% as possible of each colony
Be open to adjusting your figures as the project unfolds 40 40

41. Not enough surgeries for high impact?41 41

42. Adjust Target Area 42 42

43. Outreach: finding cats & caretakers
General media (least effective):
Mass advertising (announcements, newspaper articles, social media posts)
Targeted media (more effective):
Advertising within Target Area (billboards, mailings, yard signs, door hangers); hotline
In person (most effective):
Boots on the ground (door-to-door, community meetings, in-person flyering, vaccine or wellness clinics, caretaker referrals)
Food, shelter giveaways
Do TNR
FREE
SPAY NEUTER! 43

44. Gathering intelligence
Who’s feeding?
When and where is the feeding?
How many cats?
Colony history (how did the colony start? How long ago?)
One caretaker can lead you to another
Pet cat owners or other residents can lead you to caretakers/feeders 44

45. Know your audience Income level? Ethnicity? Language? Culture?
Commercial or residential?
What is their attitude towards the cats? Hostile? Protective? Mixed?
What is their relationship to the cats? Pets? Community? Working cats? Strays? 45

46. Know your audience What are prevailing attitudes towards spay/neuter?
What is the history with animal control with respect to the cats? (trapping and lethal control, cooperative, fear of government agencies?)
Who are the community leaders? (Community boards, neighborhood, tenant or homeowner associations, churches, councilman, chamber of commerce?) 46

47. Pets for Life: Community Outreach Toolkit
How to connect animal welfare resources to pet owners in underserved communities
Building trust & maintaining a presence
Includes chapter on free-roaming cats & TNR
Free pdf file download or purchase print copy: 47

48. Trapping NO: rely solely on residents and caretakers in target area
YES: Identify staff, experienced volunteers and/or partner TNR groups to lead the trapping, with support from local residents and caretakers 48 48

49. Tracking impact
To know whether the goal of reducing the population is being achieved
To guide what to do if you start running out of cats (increase outreach OR expand the target area?)
To rebut TNR skeptics/opponents
Expo workshop: Smart TNR – Tracking Success to Achieve Key Goals (Thurs., May 12, 9:00 am) 49 49

50. Haywood County, NC (cats)
Metrics
Direct outcomes:
Census of cats (before/after counts)
Indirect outcomes:
Intake (cat, kitten, stray)
Complaint calls and/or requests for assistance
Euthanasia
Kitten postings on Craig’s List
Haywood County, NC (cats) 50 50

51. Case study: HS of Tampa Bay
July 1, 2010 – Sept. 1, 2012
Target Area:
- ZIP code (Tampa, FL)
- pop. 44,600
- 2nd highest cat intake ZIP to county shelter
2,920 free-roaming cats spayed or neutered 51

52. Methods Full-time paid trapper supported by volunteers
Block-by-block approach
Wrapped vehicle
Yard signs 52

53. Cat intake (Hillsborough Co. Animal Services)
Zip 33612: -47% (cf to 2009)
Outside zip 33612: -17%
(cf to 2009) 53

54. Case study: Humphreys County HS
Partner organization with Waverly Animal Shelter
580 s/n’s
May 2013 thru July 2014
Target Area: Humphreys County, TN (pop. 18,500)
TNR introduced to replace euthanasia as standard policy for feral cats; ½ cats trapped by ACOs, rest by residents 54 54

55. Waverly Animal Shelter55 55

56. Questions?