KALAMAZOO, Mich. Sept. 25, 2018 Alley Cat Allies, the global engine of change for cats, will lead discussions about community cats, sometimes called feral cats, at the Michigan Pet Fund Alliance “Getting to the Goal” conference in Kalamazoo on Sept. 27-28, 2018. Its two presentations will center on allowing community cats to live happy, healthy lives in their outdoor homes.
“Cats who live outdoors in our communities are perfectly content to be there,” said Becky Robinson, president and founder of Alley Cat Allies. “These cats don’t need to be “˜rescued’ because they already have a home, and it is the outdoors. The best way to keep community cats from being killed in shelters is to let them continue to thrive in their outdoor homes.”
The presentations from Alley Cat Allies, “Let’s Keep Community Cats in the Community Where They Belong,” will be led by Alice Burton, a former chief animal control officer who is now the associate director of animal shelter & animal control engagement for Alley Cat Allies.
Burton will explain that animal shelters throughout the country are being flooded with calls from concerned citizens about “stray” or “lost” cats. However, these cats are oftentimes not “stray” or “lost,” but instead, community cats who are not socialized to people, and therefore not adoptable to be indoor pets. Burton will explain how to educate the public about community cats, why they are healthy and safe, and why they should stay in their outdoor homes. Her session will help shelter staff and animal control officers reduce intake and “euthanasia” so they can instead focus on increasing live adoption and live release rates, and other life-saving programs to improve their shelters.
###
About Alley Cat Allies
Alley Cat Allies, headquartered in Bethesda, Md., is the global engine of change for cats. We protect and improve cats’ lives through our innovative, cutting-edge programs. We are seen around the world as a champion for the humane treatment of all cats. Founded in 1990, today Alley Cat Allies has more than a half-million supporters and helps tens of thousands of individuals, communities and organizations save and improve the lives of millions of cats and kittens worldwide. Its website is www.alleycat.org, and Alley Cat Allies is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and YouTube.