TNR: Trap, Neuter and Return:

Improve the Lives of Street Cats

Sharon Warner Methvin, PhDDepartment of Anthropology, Mt. Hood Community College, Portland, OR

Smethvinn@gmail.com

Animals Benefit our Lives

Provide Love and CompanionshipReduce Stress Increase our HealthKeep us ActiveWhat Else?

Benefits

Stray Street Animals Suffer Hunger and Cold and are all Alone

Some Stray Animals are Treated Cruelly and Die Painful Deaths

All Stray Animals Deserve our Attention and Kindness

TNR can help street animals In the US….

And in China (Lingu Temple)

Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is practiced in many cities in the US, including my hometown where we have neutered 75, 000 street cats.

We have been doing TNR since 1995.

Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)

Mobile Clinic

TNR is a process where caregivers who are feeding street cats trap them in humane traps.

They then take them to be neutered and after recovery, return the cats to where they are feeding them.

Adoptable cats and kittens are placed in homes whenever possible.

Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)

The goal of the program is to reduce suffering for existing street cats and prevent the births and suffering of future kittens.

One cat can produce many litters of kittens for which there are no homes.

In the US only 4 of every 10 kittens born will find a home. The rest die or are injured on the streets.

TNR

Commercial Kitty Lone Mom/Tom Hobo Barnyard Kitty Residential Colony

Types of Stray Street Cats

Commercial Kitty in China

Lone Neighborhood Stray in China

Rural Barnyard Cat in China

Residential Colonies in China

Apartment Residential Colony

My Experience with TNR:US

Trapping the Colony

Setting the Trap

Friendly Cats are Placed in Carriers

Transport to Clinic

Surgery

Post Surgery Monitoring

Post Surgery Release

My Experience with TNR in China

Setting the Trap

Transporting Cats

Surgery Preparation

Surgery

Post Surgery Monitoring

Post Surgery RecoveryMy Apartment in Beijing

Post Surgery Recovery

Ready for Release

People sometimes feel overwhelmed and wonder what difference they can really make to help animals have a better life.

I hope this talk has inspired you and provided you with knowledge, ideas and examples.

YOU can make a difference!

The Power of One

TNR in Nanjing

The first official TNR community project in Nanjing will be conducted this month at Lingu Temple. Approximately 25-30 cats are cared for by the temple monks. One elderly monk at the entrance to the temple feeds around 15 cats faithfully every morning and evening. Others lounge blissfully and safe inside the temple grounds. The temple has posted four large notices that address the kind treatment of the temple cats, and all animals, and the promotion of TNR as a humane alternative to killing other beings.

Attention Creates Change

An old man was strolling along a beach one day. In the distance he saw a young boy and girl reach down, pick something up and throw it back into the sea. Drawing nearer, he saw that the sand was littered with thousands of small stranded sand dollars. The children were patiently picking them up, one at a time, and returning them to safety below the water. "What are you doing?" he asked. "Saving sand dollars," replied the children as they continued about the job at hand. "But the beach is littered with dying sand dollars. What possible difference can you make by doing this?”The young girl bent over, picked up another, and threw it back in the water with all her might. Then, turning to the old man, she said with all the wisdom of a child:

"I made a difference for that one."

The Sand Dollar