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Help Feral Cats during Animal Rights Awareness Week

Posted by SusanStokes on June 17, 2012


Resources available in New Jersey to benefit feral cats...

Today marks the start of Animal Rights Awareness Week, June 17-23.  As the welfare of feral cats issue is close to my heart, I thought I would point out some local resources to help these special cats in need of support.

This week was established as a week to raise awareness for the care of all types of animals including pets, wildlife, and animals raised as a food source. While many pets have become beloved family members over the years, others still remain in less than habitable conditions where starvation, disease, injury, and eventual death are faced on a daily basis, according to Dr. George Stroberg, DVM at Animal Central.

Organizations such as the Animal Protection League of New Jersey (APLNJ) are dedicated to eliminating animal suffering and exploitation by promoting respect for animals.

Specifically, the APLNJ strives to:

• Educate to increase public awareness of the institutionalized and legalized abuse of animals

• Encourage activism in our own communities to end the cruelty

• Promote lifestyle changes to reduce and eliminate the suffering

Just one of the many campaigns the APLNJ promotes is Project TNR which encourages and assists with the implementation of Trap-Neuter-Return as the only overall effective, most cost-effective and humane method of managing feral cat numbers.

Through Project TNR, the APLNJ provides technical assistance to municipalities, nonprofits, and community residents. They advocate on behalf of feral cats and feral cat caregivers.

The APLNJ offers training workshops on all aspects of TNR and colony care. Workshops are provided to any group or municipality who wish to promote TNR in their town. A registration fee of $10 per person helps ensure attendance. A minimum of 15 attendees is required.

Another group working on behalf of feral cats who have no voice of their own is Lawyers in Defense of Animals (LIDA). Since 1989, through its cooperating attorneys who work on a reduced fee or pro bono basis in New Jerse, LIDAworks within the legal system and educates others to work within the legal system to send society the message that animals are not simply “property” but are "sentient beings with inherent rights."

Fundamental among those rights is the right to counsel for every animal that faces loss of life or significant loss of liberty, including feral cats.

For example, animals are routinely evicted from their homes. A healthy feral cat colony may become evicted and subject to eventual euthanization because a municipality suddenly decides to implement or enforce a no feeding ordinance, and animal control fails to respect the seven day hold period to allow a concerned citizen or rescue group to intervene on the animals' behalf.

How can you help feral cats during Animal Rights Awareness Week?

• Learn more about TNR and feral cat care through APLNJand sign up for one of their training workshops.

• Volunteer for a local rescue group such aswho specialize in Trap-Neuter-Return.

• If you cannot donate your time, monetary donations are always welcome. Any amount, no matter how small, helps the organizations working on behalf of those animals who need support and protection.

I hope this goes some way in inspiring you to help feral cats in whatever way you can.

Susan, Taurus and Gemini

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