Bethesda, Md. (July 20, 2018) Alley Cat Allies President and Founder Becky Robinson has offered the following statement about the announcement of the “Cat Count” project in Washington, D.C.
“The Humane Society of the United States, Humane Rescue Alliance, and PetSmart Charities have announced the launch of their three-year $1.5 million research project, DC Cat Count. These groups each have long histories of advocating for and conducting humane, non-lethal options for community cats. We have longstanding positive relationships with these organizations. However, we do not support the DC Cat Count project for reasons we explain below.
“Furthermore, we are asking for assurance from them about the ethical cornerstones of the DC Cat Count. We have worked with these groups across time, count them as trusted colleagues and share many of the same values. But given the importance of this issue – a matter of life and death it is important to seek public confirmation of their opposition to lethal cat population management.
“Alley Cat Allies has a long history of working with cat advocates around the country, including many years of working with advocates and organizations in Washington, D.C., since 1990, having set up the first Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) clinic in the city. It has been with great joy that we have celebrated as the city has made TNR its cat management policy of choice. We are strong supporters of well-executed research, innovation, and efforts to improve the lives and welfare of cats, wildlife and all animals. We align closely with the compassionate conservation movement.
“We were pleased to read that the groups involved in the DC Cat Count have stated that they are committed to managing cat populations humanely, but that statement does not go far enough. On behalf of our supporters and cat lovers everywhere, we ask the groups to clarify that they do not believe that killing outdoor cats has any part in humane cat population management. We and our supporters need to hear from those funding and running the DC Cat Count that lethal cat management measures will not be considered as viable options in this project, in linked cat population modeling efforts, or in recommendations resulting from this work.
“Why is it that the use of the word ‘humane’ does not go far enough? Because there are people who believe that killing cats who live outside is more humane than letting them live. We at Alley Cat Allies could not disagree more strongly with this mindset. There is nothing humane about euthanizing healthy cats who live outdoors. We seek confirmation from the HSUS, HRA and PetSmart Charities that they do not believe killing community cats is a humane approach to cat population management.
“Lethal cat control is morally unacceptable, grossly out of step with the values of the supporters of these organizations, and equally out of step with the preferences of the American people84 percent of whom say they would rather have their tax dollars support sterilization over killing as a means of cat population management.
“Following remarks earlier this week by DC Cat Count scientific advisor John Boone, we are asking our colleagues about their commitment to non–lethal cat population management. In an interview with The Washington Post about the DC Cat Count, Boone called into question well ahead of any results from the project the efficacy of large scale cat sterilization efforts. Sterilization is a major element of mainstream programs like TNR and is the leading non–lethal approach to cat population management in the United States. Such remarks from one of the project leaders threatens the very credibility of the project from its onset. We ask that the leaders of the initiative ask Boone to clarify publicly that he, too, is committed to limiting the attention of his research at least that funded by the aforementioned groups to non–lethal cat population management options.
“In addition to the ethical guideposts within which the DC Cat Count will operate, we at Alley Cat Allies also have concerns about the methodology and objectives of the project. We have significant doubts that this project will achieve an accurate count of community cats–nocturnal animals who avoid people. We also question the value of attempting to ascertain the number of cats in Washington, D.C. Money is better spent saving cats than counting them.
“These are the reasons that Alley Cat Allies does not support The DC Cat Count project. We will continue to work with these groups on other projects, and we will continue to invest the donations of our supporters in initiatives that directly improve and protect the lives and welfare of cats. We look forward to confirmation from our friends and colleagues in these organizations that they are steadfastly and unwaveringly opposed to lethal cat population management efforts and will not fund research that presents killing cats as a cat management option for the future.”
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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 650,000 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 and YouTube.