Every summer there is the routine "desperate" plea from all the SPCA shelters in the province for the public to adopt kittens from their overflowing shelters. Thousands of kittens born each year are the product of feral (wild) cats living in vacant lots, underground parking garages, behind industrial warehouse buildings and along waterfront properties. Many of these kittens are discovered by neighbourhood residents or employees at their work places who rescue the kittens and turn them in to the SPCA's. Mother cats are left behind to reproduce again and again because there is no established program by the BC SPCA to control the feral cat population on a long-term basis. Unless the mother cats and ALL kittens from a feral litter are caught, they will perpetuate the cycle of reproduction.

The answer lies in the BC SPCA implementing a trap/neuter/return program (TNR) to substantially and compassionately reduce the ever-increasing numbers of ferals. Mass round up and euthanasia has proven to be ineffective and is not a viable alternative.

Progress has been made elsewhere:

The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) is a professional organization of veterinarians in the United States who share an interest in providing excellence in the care and treatment of cats. AAFP: http://www.aafponline.org/index.htm

Quotes from its June 2004 position statement include:

"It is estimated that the number of free-roaming abandoned and feral cats in the United States may be as high as that of owned cats (about 73 million in 2000). Given the high rate of sterilization among owned cats, these unowned cats are the primary source of cat overpopulation.

Managed Cat Colonies
• The AAFP supports appropriately managed cat colonies. Humane alternatives to the destruction of healthy cats for animal control purposes should be actively pursued by veterinary, humane, and wildlife organizations. Such alternatives include increased sterilization and humane education." See http://www.aafponline.org/positionstate.htm

After years of researching the feral cat problem, the San Francisco SPCA recognized and respected the growing societal opposition to euthanasia and began a wonderfully effective program called the Feral Cat Assistance Program. http://www.sfspca.org/feral/index.shtml The basis of its program includes - "Free spay/neuter, education, community organizing, and cat advocacy form the basis of our ever-expanding safety net of care for our City’s feral cats."

If the BC SPCA is ever to relieve its shelters of the overwhelming crush of kittens, it would be well advised to implement a Feral Cat Program patterned on the successful program already in place in San Francisco.

A thoroughly researched Consultation Report that was prepared by an Independent Panel in November 2001 for the BC SPCA states:

"During the pet overpopulation dialogue, cat rescue groups stated that they are more than willing to take on homeless cats and rehabilitate or manage their release into monitored colonies. It was recommended that the BC SPCA work more closely with cat rescue groups in establishing a TNVR practice (trap/neuter/vaccinate/return) and in the monitoring and care of existing cat colonies."

The Consultation Report also recommended the following goals for the BC SPCA to pursue:

Short-term
•Establish a task force to research and identify solutions regarding the control and
protection of feral cats.
Long-term
•Develop a policy regarding the control and protection of feral cats based on task
force findings.
•Build closer relationships with community partners in finding solutions to feral cat
problems.

Feral cat rescue groups in BC stand ready and willing to work with the SPCA but there needs to be a structured long-term program in place where the groups can work efficiently with the SPCA staff. The SPCA has had ample time to initiate a feral cat program to achieve these goals but continues to ignore effective solutions. One or two days a year set aside for spaying a few feral cats in the City of Vancouver at the SPCA Hospital will not solve the feral cat crisis in BC.

The SPCA Board of Directors should be ensuring that its employees are educated and equipped to implement a responsible Feral Cat Program.