Feline Shelter Intake Reduction Program FAQs

The timing was perfect—almost.

Not 10 minutes after I published yesterday’s post, I noticed a link posted by my friends at Stray Cat Alliance on the organization’s Facebook page. Beside the link was this not-so-subtle endorsement:

“THIS IS A MUST READ!!!!!”

As I say, not so subtle. On the other hand, I couldn’t agree more.

Had I read Feline Shelter Intake Reduction Program FAQs—in which Kate Hurley, program director of the Koret Shelter Medicine Program at the University of California, Davis, and Julie Levy, Professor of Shelter Medicine and director of Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida, make a compelling case for rethinking how shelters deal with stray, abandoned, and feral cats—before finishing up yesterday’s post, I could have used some of its themes to more effectively highlight the problems in Monmouth County, NJ.

Or at least borrowed a quote or two. This one, perhaps:

“In the United States, we have been accustomed to the idea that the best thing for an unwanted cat is to be surrendered to a shelter. When the shelter is reasonably sure of finding the cat an adoptive home or providing it with lifelong humane care, this is certainly the case. However, we now recognize that admitting more healthy cats than can be released alive over time does not necessarily serve cats, communities or shelters well.”

Then again, it was already after 2:00 am. I would, I knew, be better off reading the article with fresh eyes.

I was not disappointed, and I don’t think you will be, either.

Categories:

Sheltering