Yatauro and Ford Examine County's Feral Cat Situation

Yatauro says mandatory law for spaying may be needed, advocates TNR program

Nassau County Legislators Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove) and Denise Ford (D-Long Beach) hosted a hearing this week on the County’s increasing feral cat population. The hearing was attended by animal rights activists, veterinarians and cat lovers.

“We wanted to hear from the people who are actually facing this problem everyday and learn about potential solutions to an ever-expanding problem,” Yatauro said.

There are more than 16 million feral (or wild) cats across the United States. Abandoned by their owners or lost, cats eventually band together in colonies when they are without human contact for a prolonged period of time. Kittens born into the colony do not socialize with humans, and avoid them instinctively.

One possible plan of action was the institution of a trap, neuter, and release (TNR) program. In this program, instead of euthanizing the cats, they are trapped and brought to a veterinarian to be neutered or fixed. They are then returned to their colony. Through TNR programs, the population of a feral cat colony will gradually decrease.

Dr. Laura Gaye Senk of the Long Island Cat Project encouraged a joint effort between the County and the scores of volunteers in the standing-room only crowd. Senk added that euthanizing cats will just make it easier for cats from other colonies to fill the void, calling it a vacuum effect.

“The longer everyone waits, the larger the problem gets,” said Joan Philips of the Glen Cove Animal Lovers League. “There is a volunteer army on Long Island, but we need the generals. A TNR program is so incredibly doable, there’s no reason not to do this immediately.”

“After hearing from volunteers and animal rights groups, it is clear that something needs to be done,” Yatauro said after the meeting. “The Legislature will look into the adoption of New York City’s law of mandatory spaying and neutering of pets, starting a county registry of volunteers, and the implementation of a TNR program.”

For more information, call Legislator Yatauro’s office at (516) 571-6218.