Animal Welfare Professionals

Is anyone aware of research regarding a possible link between overpopulation of community animals and violence targeted at those animals?  More specifically, as spay-neuter goes up and the degree of overpopulation goes down, does aggression and violence directed towards animals decrease as well?

Thanks for any information you're aware of!

#CommunityCatManagement
#CommunityPartnerships*
#FieldServicesandPublicSafety*

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April King
Volunteer and Board Member
Kotor Kitties
+1 206 407 5336
http://www.kotorkitties.org
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Interesting thoughts. 

We are just organizing our Community Cat Program. One on our volunteers, on her own, had helped trap out an overpopulated trailer park. 

After releasing a large portion of the cats back to their original home area, she returned a couple of days later to trap a couple of stragglers, only to find one of the residents of the park had set out an abundance of bowls filled with antifreeze. 

When I saw her pictures of all the filled bowls, I was appalled. So yes, I believe that violence toward overpopulated animals exist, but I am not ready to say that people understand the intent of TNR or are willing to wait for results. 

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Laura Groves
Director
AlterClinic Animal Care
OH
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Thanks for posting about this! I have wondered the same thing recently while examining the social media posts of one of my favorite cat aid organizations in Hawaii. They've always had a problem with cat abuse there, but it seems to have skyrocketed alongside their TNR programs. No one said as much, I'm just reading between the lines (I have no proof!). This also reminded me to read a recent New Yorker article about TNR. I haven't read it yet but will do so soon! https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/01/01/how-the-no-kill-movement-betrays-its-name

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Emily Stewart
Donor Support Manager, Content Creator
Veterinary Cannabis Society
CA
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Hi,

I would check out the National Link Coalition. They mainly focus on the intersection of animal cruelty and domestic violence, but they track animal related legislation, cruelty cases, etc. They have an abundance of resources and might have some information if you reach out. 

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Kate Rachiele
Pet Program & Operations Administrator
Willow Domestic Violence Center
Rochester, NY
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