Phoenix Cat Rescue Organization
Named “ National
Organization of the Year ” in
recognition of National Feral Cat Day on October
16th
AzCATs has been selected by Alley Cat Allies (ACA), the national
nonprofit clearinghouse in Washington, D. C., for information on
stray and feral cats, as the Organization of the Year for their pioneering
work to improve the lives of feral cats.
Alley Cat Allies is celebrating National Feral Cat Day on October
16 th by recognizing leaders in the field who promote ACA’s
policies on nonlethal population control with the organization’s
Awards of Excellence. All awardees have worked throughout
the year to carry out or promote Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) as the
only scientifically demonstrated method for controlling feral cat
overpopulation.
“Alley Cat Allies’ success in getting its message out
and promoting the nonlethal control of stray and feral cats rests
in large part on the hundreds of dedicated volunteers across the
country,” said Becky Robinson, national director of Alley Cat
Allies. “National Feral Cat Day was created in large
part to honor their efforts and pay tribute to organizations such
as AzCATs who are truly making a difference in spreading the message
that TNR works.”
Since June of 1999 AzCATs has worked to end the overpopulation
of free-roaming, primarily feral, cats, in Maricopa County. In
2003 AzCATs humanely trapped, sterilized, and returned over 3,400
cats to monitored colonies. Now AzCATs is on target to reach
its goal of sterilizing 6,000 feral cats in 2004, having trapped,
neutered, and returned 4,651 cats in the first nine months of the
year. During the 5 years of its existence AzCATs’ programs
have ended the breeding cycle for 19,592 cats.
AzCATs also works in partnership with Phoenix’s oldest and
largest no kill organization, the Arizona Animal Welfare League (AAWL),
to find homes for tame cats and kittens living on the streets. Betty
Welton, the President & CEO of AAWL stated, “AzCATs provides
an important service to the rescue community in Maricopa County,
Arizona. While there are many organizations within our county
that give some TNR assistance to the public, only AzCATs is devoted
entirely to solving the feral cat overpopulation problem. Without
their ongoing efforts those of us that shelter and adopt out homeless
cats and kittens would find our workload greatly increased. AzCATs
is most deserving of [this] recognition.”
About AzCATs
AzCATs began with a handful of volunteers, approximately a dozen
humane traps, and the determination to solve the cat overpopulation
problem. Today AzCATs has over 100 volunteers and about 500
humane traps in several trap depots located in 8 cities across the
county. AzCATs is also an active partner in the Alliance for
Companion Animals. In May of 2004, 4 members of the AzCATs
team traveled to the Galapagos Islands with Animal Balance where
they helped to sterilize cats and dogs on Isabela Island. In
little over five years AzCATs has grown from a small local organization
to one that receives national and international recognition for its
work. To find out more about AzCATs visit www.AzCATs.org or
call 602-287-8824.
Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) is the Solution
at the Source of the greatest reason for the cat overpopulation problem,
free-roaming, primarily feral, cats.
.jpg)
