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Press Release
For Immediate Release: AUGUST 11, 2009
Contact: ELIZABETH PAROWSKI, eparowski@alleycat.org or 240-482-1984; FRANCIE ISRAELI, fisraeli@johnadams.com or 202-207-1134
ALLEY CAT ALLIES LAUNCHES ONLINE TOOL FOR
VETERINARIANS AND VETERINARY TECHNICIANS
Veterinary Resource Center Unveiled for National Feral Cat Day, October 16
BETHESDA, MD — Alley Cat Allies announced the launch of a new online resource center for
members of the veterinary community to learn more about how they can play a unique and
critical role in improving the lives of stray and feral cats. The online center, which is launching in
connection with the celebration of the ninth annual National Feral Cat Day (October 16), is
available at www.alleycat.org/Veterinarian.
“The veterinary community plays an essential role in the humane treatment of feral cats both by
serving as a resource for the public, and also by providing direct veterinary care and neuter services
as part of Trap-Neuter-Return,” said Becky Robinson, president of Alley Cat Allies.
“Veterinary offices are often the first place caring individuals turn to with questions. In the past, a
lack of practical information has been available pertaining to these cats,” she said. “As the stray
and feral cat experts, Alley Cat Allies seeks to fill this void.”
The Alley Cat Allies online Veterinary Resource Center includes scholarly articles, fact sheets, and
multimedia tools for veterinarians on topics that will help them learn more about the care and needs
of feral cats:
- Understanding Feral Cat Health: Scientific articles on a range of health topics,
including rabies and FIV/FeLV;
- Understanding Feral Cat Behavior: Articles, videos, and illustrations on
distinguishing a truly feral cat from a frightened owned or stray cat, by experts in
feline behavior;
- Understanding Feral Cat Veterinary Protocol: Resources and articles on early age
spay/neuter; video demonstrations of high-volume spay/neuter techniques; and
protocols for testing, vaccination, and ear-tipping feral cats;
- Understanding Trap-Neuter-Return: Comprehensive resources, including
information about the effectiveness of Trap-Neuter-Return programs, also known
as TNR, for feral cat colonies, to assist the veterinary community in further
understanding TNR, and how they can contribute to its success; and
- Understanding the Feral Cat Population: Access to peer-reviewed research on cat
populations and spay/neuter status.
Robinson noted that Alley Cat Allies has nearly 20 years of experience with feral cats and Trap-
Neuter-Return. Its scientific board is comprised of some of the nation’s top feral cat veterinarians.
Alley Cat Allies was the first organization to introduce Trap-Neuter-Return in the U.S. and the first
to establish the best-practice standards for the program. It has also conducted high-volume neuter
clinics for 15 years in the Washington, DC region and hosted “wet labs” to train veterinarians on
medical protocol for stray and feral cats.
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About Alley Cat Allies
Alley Cat Allies is the nation’s leading advocate for stray and feral cats. Their website is www.alleycat.org.
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