National Feral Cat Day is October 16th, 2008. Please join Homeless Animal Lifeline's (HAL) Candlelight Vigil by lighting a virtual candle honoring New Jersey's feral cats and their caretakers. The donations collected through this vigil will go directly toward buying food and supplies for NJ feral cats.
To light a candle or view the vigil, please visit
www.halrescue.org/vigil.html.
Also, HAL will be hosting a feral cat/TNR public information table at Bridgewater PetSmart on October 18, 2008 between 11 AM and 3 PM. For more information, please contact RescueHAL@aol.com.
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From Feral Cat Network - HAL's Feral Cat Public Outreach Program
www.theanimalspirit.com/feralcatnetwork.html
Homeless cats who are afraid of humans and cannot be easily approached or handled are referred to as "feral." Feral cats have generally had little or no human contact, causing them to develop a natural fear of humans. Not all homeless cats are feral; some may be strays who are lost or have been recently abandoned by humans.
The only difference between a housecat and a feral is that the latter has a strong fear of humans. They exist due to the public's failure to spay/neuter and its reluctance to make a lifetime commitment to cats in their care. Killing the victims of such negligence should not be a consideration. For decades, the public has been apathetic regarding the plight of homeless animals. It is time to take responsibility for the tragedy we have created.
Traditional, agency-run attempts to trap and kill cats have historically resulted in greater numbers -- and greater suffering for that reason alone -- of feral cats, than have well-planned systems to trap, neuter, and return cats. TNR, in conjunction with public education and low-cost spay/neuter clinics, stabilizes numbers and facilitates the eventual elimination of colonies of homeless cats.
Our goal is to end the homeless cat crisis. Feral cat caregivers have been directly responsible for the prevention of hundreds of thousands of cats. We
are actively working to address the root of the problem.
Due to the overpopulation crisis, there simply aren't enough sanctuaries or available homes to house the tens of millions of feral cats estimated to be
living in the United States alone. The only humane and effective way to control the feral cat population and give the cats a chance at healthier lives is through TNR and managed colonies where food, water, shelter, and medical care are consistently provided.
The public can choose to rely on unethical, ineffective trap and kill attempts, or we can work toward our goal by implementing an organized, proven-effective, cost-efficient method of population control.
We have made our choice. We hope you will join us.
