New TNR Program Targets Feral Cat Issue in Union Gap, Washington

When you see one stray cat, chances are, there are more hiding. Creating their very own little ‘cat commune’ and when they aren’t spayed and neutered, the problem of strays can’t get out of hand very quickly.

That is the case in many areas around Washington, and locally in Union Gap, steps are being taken to attempt to curb the number of strays.

What Is a TNR Program and How Does It Work?

Announced earlier this week, the City of Union Gap has started a program called TNR. TNR stands for “Trap, Neuter, Release”. And it’ll do exactly what the name suggests: humanely trap the wild/stray cat, fix the cat so it can’t reproduce, and then release it back to where it was found.

READ MORE: Top Dog-Friendly Cities & Counties In Washington

Why Release The Cat Back Into the Wild

In a perfect world, every cat would have a forever home, or could be taken to a loving and safe place like an old orchard farm where they can roam, but that isn’t the case. For some cats that are tame enough and can be adopted, that’ll be an option, but for others, where they are caught, that is their home, and that’s the magic and the science behind the TNR program.

Dana Coleman from the Friends of The Humane Society of Hardy County said it best on this Facebook post:

“Feral cats aren’t lost—they’re home. They know where to find food, shelter, and safety. Removing them creates a vacuum that just invites more unneutered cats to move in.”

Without getting into the weeds, cats are territorial, and when they are returned to their area after being fixed, other cats won’t move in, and the population won’t keep multiplying, and the cats can live out the rest of their lives. The results are fewer stray cats.

“Now in practice for decades in the US after being proven in Europe, scientific studies show that Trap-Neuter-Return improves the lives of feral cats, improves their relationships with the people who live near them, and decreases the size of colonies over time.”
– AlleyCat.org

 

How Union Gap Residents Can Get Involved

With Union Gap adopting this policy, it is offering help to RESIDENTS OF UNION GAP. They will provide traps, transport, as well as the cost of getting the cat fixed. After the cat is able to return safely, it will be returned.

If this is something you’d be interested in and live in the city limits of Union Gap, Washington, you can email the Community Services Officer at Amanda.Graham@UnionGapWa.gov or swing by the Union Gap Police Department.

With this being a new and popular program, there may be a waiting period, which will be discussed with you by the CSO, and an appointment date will be scheduled.

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