Animal Welfare Professionals

Good evening! My name is Rachel and I am the TNR Coordinator for a rescue based in the Kansas City metro area. Our TNR program was established 2 years ago and our team has fixed over 1,000 community cats. And we are just getting started...sadly. However, I have been appointed this volunteer role to formalize the program and create much needed structure. The TNR program has basically been a fund where the rescue will reimburse trapper volunteers for TNR if the budget is available. I have completely transformed the program so I can track our data and measure our true efforts.

However, besides financial support, the TNR team needs FOSTER HOME support for kittens that are discovered during TNR. So many of our volunteers, myself included, work intense caseloads (40+ cats and kittens) and volunteer trappers end up carrying the weight of it all because shelters and rescues are full. This results in the most valuable and hardworking trappers not being able to be in the field. Thus...more unwanted kittens are born. 

I do not know how to get external rescues or shelters to partner with our TNR team. I have tried over and over. It seems that many rescues and shelters are intaking cats and kittens from irresponsible cat guardians who let their cats have babies. Rescues/shelters will take the kittens without enforcing spay of the mom cat. Now, this is not the case entirely for ALL local rescues and shelters but it happens too often. I think that many rescues know that trappers have too much compassion and will eventually figure it out. 

I know some people will simply trap kittens, fix them and release but my mission is focused on improving the life of these cats and kittens to the best of my capability. Intaking kittens into rescue who can be adopted into homes is much more ideal than just fixing and releasing back. I am just at a loss on how to create positive change without strong collaboration and support from rescues and shelters. I have literally vetted dozens of cats on my dime and let rescues take and adopt out. Still, it is a struggle! And it just doesn't feel fair anymore. (I know, life isn't fair but dangit, I am working to solve a problem that benefits the entire rescue community!)

Any suggestions on how to streamline the entire TNR process so kittens can be rescued without the burden falling on the trapper volunteers? I feel like I am already doing so much trying to formalize the TNR program and get as many community cats fixed as possible. As I am sure many can relate, I am already burnt out from all the demoralizing and emotional dynamics that encompass TNR.

Sincerely,
An Exhausted TNR Volunteer

#CommunityCatManagement
#CommunityPartnerships*
#FosterPrograms

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Rachel Coldanghise
TNR Coordinator
Heart of America Humane Society
KS
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This sounds like a fantastic program.  I run a small rescue that focuses on TNR, and like you we get so bogged down with kittens and we don't have space to help rehabilitate the ill cats or take on new sites because of the time it takes to foster and adopt out the kittens.

 In the past I have been able to work with many other shelters to take a litter here or there but with little success. 

I hope we learn of some new innovative ways from others. 

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Kate Downey
Director
Cat Life Maine Inc.
ME
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Rachel,  I am also  in the outer KC metro area and we have been throwing a TNR program around. I will say, most shelter/rescues are at capacity and dept of ag requires paperwork for each animal we take into our shelter, rather that be foster or in house which means, if the people fostering do not or cannot keep the kitten we have to take it back. For our shelter specifically we cannot be at capacity and also have multiple kittens in foster that we are responsible for. Vet work, chance of them coming back etc is too great of a cost than we can afford. Its a no win situation and until people realize that spaying and neutering is truly the only way we can combat this pet over population issue we are at a loss. Frustrating!! Thank you for helping!!

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Jessica Johnson
Volunteer Coordinator/Event Coordinator/Volunteer
Humane Society of Ray County
Richmond MO
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Yes, it is frustrating all around. My very first foster kittens came from Richmond, MO back in 2011. (Two were foster fails and they are my senior babies now!)

I just wish we could pause the chaos and start creating a better "factory line" of rescue. Right now, I wear way too many hats in rescue (and I know most of you all reading this can relate). I also work like a wildfire so I am probably somewhat resposible for my exhaustion. LOL. I am 56 cats and kittens deep after only 2 weeks of work. I trap, rescue, schedule vetting appointments for adoptable cats, then foster them, try to find rescue placement (and generally do not succeed because yes, everyone is at capacity), coordinate the TNR program for a local non-profit so I am on-boarding trappers into our program, submitting grant proposals, etc. (And I work full time, and I am a mom ahhhh!!) I know I sound whiny, but boy oh boy, us trappers are so tired and exhausted. Because we cannot unsee what we see...we act immediately.  

We also have too much drama in the cat rescue community. I imagine it is the same in many other areas. I have written to a few city council members explaining the importance of spay and neuter but we will see what happens.  In a perfect world...

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Rachel Coldanghise
TNR Coordinator
Heart of America Humane Society
KS
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-04-2024 08:50 AM
From: Jessica Johnson
Subject: TNR efforts and the DESPERATE need for foster homes!

Rachel,  I am also  in the outer KC metro area and we have been throwing a TNR program around. I will say, most shelter/rescues are at capacity and dept of ag requires paperwork for each animal we take into our shelter, rather that be foster or in house which means, if the people fostering do not or cannot keep the kitten we have to take it back. For our shelter specifically we cannot be at capacity and also have multiple kittens in foster that we are responsible for. Vet work, chance of them coming back etc is too great of a cost than we can afford. Its a no win situation and until people realize that spaying and neutering is truly the only way we can combat this pet over population issue we are at a loss. Frustrating!! Thank you for helping!!

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Jessica Johnson
Volunteer Coordinator/Event Coordinator/Volunteer
Humane Society of Ray County
Richmond MO
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Hello! I'm sorry to hear you're struggling! Here is the HASS Community Cat Programming Toolkit. It has a lot of information and may be valuable to review to help you brainstorm. At the bottom of the toolkit, there are links to other relevant resources, including a variety from different organizations. 

Best of luck! 

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Jenifer Reed
Maddie's® Human Animal Support Services Program Implementation Trainer
AmPA!/HASS
TN
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This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

The struggle is real. I just started a TNR program in my city in January. We quickly realized that we were going to run into a lot of kittens and had to define our efforts.

As harsh as it may sound, we only rescue those who are injured, ill, or in danger, and the rest of the kittens are returned after they receive their surgery. We do not bring in moms with nursing kittens but return later to attempt capture.

During our discussions on how to handle kittens that we find in the field, it was determined by our group that we that we are trappers , and not rescuers. To try and do everything would quickly lead to burn out and then no one would be attending to any of the cats in our community. We do however, check with all of the rescues that we are aware of in the area,  prior to a trap day, to see if they have any room for kittens and occasionally they will tell us they have room for some.  That is the only number of kittens that we will rescue or remove from the environment. They do, however, have to be within a certain age range that can be socialized. Otherwise we treat them if they're injured or ill , and then RTF. Those we find that are in danger and cannot be returned, we find a barn home for placement. 

As the leader of this group I make it my job to determine which kittens are rescue and which are returned. These compassionate, loving trappers want to save them all. We all do, but I must look at the long term and take it seriously to protect our valued resources and maintain the longevity of the program.  I take that responsibility to relieve any guilt my trappers might have for returning kittens to the field.  They can blame me instead. Some get angry for a short time. But inside they know the reality.  
My job is to trap and sterilize as many cats as we can, responsibly return those cats to the only home they have ever known, develop community understanding and support and most importantly protect my team and our precious few resources.   

Original Message:
Sent: 10-09-2024 06:34 AM
From: Jenifer Reed
Subject: TNR efforts and the DESPERATE need for foster homes!

Hello! I'm sorry to hear you're struggling! Here is the HASS Community Cat Programming Toolkit. It has a lot of information and may be valuable to review to help you brainstorm. At the bottom of the toolkit, there are links to other relevant resources, including a variety from different organizations. 

Best of luck! 

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Jenifer Reed
Maddie's® Human Animal Support Services Program Implementation Trainer
AmPA!/HASS
TN
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I started my rescue because of TNR'ing and coming across kittens and strays. It's never ending. We teach a TNR class twice a month. In the class, I encourage tappers to bring in any kittens under 3 months of age. My group and a couple others will help vet/adopt kittens if the trappers foster them. Right now, I'm unable to take in any more so it's the best I can offer.

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Sharyn Berg
Animal Allies Florida
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