New Research Exposes High Taxpayer Cost For ‘Eradicating’ Free-Roaming Cats
Brooklyn, NY – March 18, 2010 — Communities trying to solve the problem of homeless cats by trapping and killing them are not only using archaic, inhumane methods but also are engaged in an useless waste of tax dollars, according to an economic study commissioned by Utah-based Best Friends Animal Society. Best Friends’ Focus on Felines® program is dedicated to finding workable community-based solutions to address the issues of homeless cats.
The study, completed by John Dunham and Associates and funded by PetSmart Charities®, serves as core information for a new online “Feral Fiscal Impact Calculator” that, according to Best Friends, will help county and local governmental entities determine the true cost of removing homeless cats by destroying them.
Bottom line finding: Trap-neuter-return for community cats could cut costs in half
With an estimated 87 million free-roaming, homeless cats in the United States, it would cost governmental entities about $16 billion to trap and kill these cats as opposed to about $9 billion for supporting trap-neuter/spay-return (TNR) programs run by rescue organizations and individual volunteers.
The Feral Fiscal Impact Calculator and associated study is part of Best Friends Animal Society’s nationwide campaign: Focus on Felines campaign, which is part of the society’s ongoing effort to keep cats safe and out of shelters across the country.
Ledy VanKavage, senior legislative attorney for Best Friends said: “With the current economic crisis, cities and counties are laying off animal control staff. Everyone wants to see the number of homeless, free-roaming cats radically reduced, but if you can find a humane way to decrease the number and save money, wouldn’t this be the best alternative? Now more than ever we can use economic arguments to advance humane approaches.
“After years of eradication programs, we still have an estimated 87 million homeless cats; and trends indicate this number is rising. Eradication only works on an island. The trap and kill method is expensive and it doesn’t work, so why continue to embrace it?
We are so appreciative of PetSmart Charities for funding this educational study,” VanKavage said. “Our hope is that government officials and humanitarians will use our Feral Fiscal Impact Calculator to find out how much their community could save by employing TNR.”
Other key study findings:
In most American communities, stray cats are a familiar sight. For more than 10,000 years, the species Felis catus has lived beside humans. With the growing population of feral (community) cats, there has been much policy debate on how to handle the situation. Some argue for eradication, but this doesn’t curb population growth because some new cats that escape trap and kill will always be born. The humane solution is trap, neuter and return, a cost efficient, no-kill means of reducing feral cat populations.
Key Quotes from the Study:
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Updated 03-18-2010
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