Trap-Neuter-Release program for cats banned in Los Angeles city

     A December 4, 2009 controversial ruling by a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge concluded that Los Angeles City had secretly implemented the policy of trap neuter and release (TNR), and ruled that this policy was improperly implemented and therefore barred the Los Angeles City Department of Animal Services from its implementation (Los Angeles Superior Court-case number BS115483).

     Various sources estimate that there are between 50 and 80 million homeless felines throughout the United States. Traditionally, throughout the country, animal control organizations was to capture homeless cats, then take them to the shelter where they were killed. Humane organizations in opposition to this policy, advanced the policy of humanely capturing homeless cats in traps, neutering and vaccinating them and then returning them to their original location were subsequently volunteer caregivers feed and watch over the cats.

     The ban on the TRN program was enthusiastically supported by various bird organizations who claim that simply neutering the cats and placing them back into the urban habitat is not a solution to the millions of birds that are killed annually by feral cats, including many endangered bird species in the Los Angeles area such as the Western snowy plover. In addition, those opposed to the policy claim that feral cat feces pollute local waters. Without reservation, these organizations favor the capture and euthanasia of feral cats.

     In contrast, supporters of the TNR policy argue that abandoning the program will result in an explosion of the wild feline population and a accompanying decline in bird life. Not surprisingly, Best Friends for Animals, the Kanab, Utah-based animal rescue organization which maintains the country's largest no kill sanctuary, has come out strongly in support of the TRN policy, however. This organization believes that simply killing homeless cats is not only inhumane and costly, but is also futile because the catching and killing one groups of community cats opens the particular niche for another groups of cats. A spokesman for this organization claims that for many communities it costs about twice as much to trap and kill homeless cats as it does to sterilize, vaccinate, and return them to the communities. Best Friends further argues that there is no credible scientific evidence to suggest that cats are a significant threat to birds, and that songbird populations are in decline mainly due to the loss of habitat caused by urbanization and development.

     Obviously, a very controversial and emotive issue, which still has not completely been resolved and further litigation to restore the policy will probably be attempted. Final resolution to this question may not come about until environmental impact studies are completed.