DALLAS July 17, 2019 Alley Cat Allies, the global engine of change for cats, will gather cat advocates, animal professionals and people who want to learn more about cats and how to protect them for the one-of-a-kind Every Kitty, Every City® TEXAS conference on July 23, 2019, at The Statler hotel in downtown Dallas.
Becky Robinson, the president and founder of Alley Cat Allies, will deliver the conference’s keynote address, highlighting the decades of sweat equity that has led to dramatic changes in how communities everywhere value and care for the cats who live among them. Robinson will also cover the relationship between cats and wildlife, explaining why it is important to continue defending cats from threats that are often disguised as “conservation.”
“Grassroots advocacy has led to transformative results for cats in the Lone Star State, and we’re looking forward to sharing our tremendous recent accomplishments and future ambitions to help cats in Texas and the rest of the country,” Robinson said.
Every Kitty, Every City TEXAS will also feature guest presenters who are standing up for cats in innovative, unique ways. Dr. Jennifer Conrad, founder and director of The Paw Project, will speak about her organization’s efforts to end feline declawing. Rick DuCharme, founder of First Coast No More Homeless Pets, will recount his work to end the killing of cats and dogs in and around Duval County, Florida, and the renowned Feral Freedom program for community cats.
Alley Cat Allies speakers will update guests on the state of declawing legislation in the United States and Alley Cat Allies’ other ongoing policy initiatives.
Fort Bend County, Texas, will take center stage during the conference in a panel discussion on how the county changed its policies to save the lives of community cats, sometimes called feral cats. Fort Bend implemented Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) for community cats in 2018 and 1,000 cats have already been helped through the program.
Alley Cat Allies is the leader in advocating for nonlethal programs and initiatives that have become widespread among our nation’s shelters and animal control departments. One of the best-known programs is TNR, the only humane and effective approach to community cats. Through TNR, cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, eartipped (the universal sign that a cat was part of a TNR program) and returned to their outdoor homes. TNR manages the community cat population and reduces shelter intake, “euthanasia,” and calls to animal control services, all of which save taxpayer dollars. Fort Bend County is joined by Austin, El Paso, San Marcos and dozens of other communities throughout Texas, plus thousands elsewhere, that have embraced TNR.
Every Kitty, Every City TEXAS is scheduled from 8 a.m. 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 23. The Statler hotel is located at 1914 Commerce St. in Dallas. Tickets cost $25 and RSVPs are required. A group discount is available when four people register, the fifth registration is free. Information about the conference is available online at www.everykittyeverycity.org.
About Alley Cat Allies
Alley Cat Allies, headquartered in Bethesda, Md., is the global engine of change for cats. We protect and improve the lives of cats 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 and YouTube.