PANAMA CITY, Fla. April 3, 2019 As many as 1,000 cats in the Panama City area will receive free spay or neuter surgeries in April as part of a major regional collaboration driven by Alley Cat Allies, the global engine of change for cats. Together with local organizations in the Florida Panhandle, the Alley Cat Allies Feline Frenzy® will spay or neuter up to 110 cats on each surgery day during the campaign, which takes place April 4, April 8-11 and April 15-18.
“A major goal of this campaign is to address the need in Panama City for spay and neuter services for cats,” said Becky Robinson, president and founder of Alley Cat Allies. “The animal protection infrastructure here is still recovering from Hurricane Michael’s devastation. By focusing the community’s attention on this issue, we will be making significant, lasting change for the cats and people who live here.”
“Another critical outcome of the Feline Frenzy will be the networking and collaboration opportunities for grassroots organizers, animal organizations, shelters and veterinarians that will naturally result from working together on such a large project,” Robinson added. “Even after the Feline Frenzy is finished, these relationships will generate systemic and sustainable benefits in the years to come.”
The Feline Frenzy will provide spay and neuter surgeries, vaccinations, microchipping, and, for community cats, eartipping.
Starting on Wednesday, March 27, people can schedule Feline Frenzy appointments for their cats by calling 850-215-1022 or visiting spaybay.com/fix-your-pet and mentioning the “Feline Frenzy Special.” All surgeries will take place at Operation Spay Bay, 3250 E. 15th Street in Panama City. People with cats in their home should schedule appointments in advance, but anyone working on TNR programs with community cats can walk in without an appointment. All cats must come individually in a carrier or a humane trap and arrive at Operation Spay Bay at 7:15 a.m. on a Feline Frenzy day.
Approximately two-thirds of the served by the Feline Frenzy will be community cats, also known as feral cats, who are unowned and live outside. The surgeries will be part of a TNR program, through which cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, eartipped (the universal sign that indicates a cat was part of a TNR program) and returned to their outdoor homes. TNR is sound public policy because it reduces shelter intake, “euthanasia” and calls to animal services, and saves taxpayer dollars in the process. It is the only humane and effective approach to community cat populations.
In addition to its expertise to coordinate the event, Alley Cat Allies is providing funding for all surgeries, microchips, vaccinations and humane education and outreach as well as 30 humane traps to bolster TNR efforts in the area.
The Florida Panhandle project will be the latest in a series of successful Alley Cat Allies Feline Frenzy campaigns. Previous campaigns operated in post-Katrina New Orleans, Louisiana and Washington, D.C.
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 and YouTube.