Orange County Animal Services
2769 Conroy Rd. Orlando, FL 32839
Contact: Vanessa Bouffard (407) 254-9141

For Immediate Release

ORANGE COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES JOINS NATIONAL CALL TO END FERAL CAT OVERPOPULATION

Orlando Fl-Orange County Animal Services will honor National Feral Cat Day (NFCD), as Orange County's Feral Cat Week October 19 through 23.  The event aims to create awareness about feral cats and ways to humanely control their overpopulation.

Feral cats are the same species as companion cats, but they live outdoors in family groups and have never been socialized to people, said Katherine Lockett, Manager at Orange County Animal Services. Most animal shelters across the United States routinely euthanize feral cats because they can't be adopted. It is an endless, costly, and cruel cycle.

National Feral Cat Day was launched in 2001 by Alley Cat Allies, the national advocate for feral and stray cats. Alley Cat Allies is the foremost authority on a program called Trap\Neuter©\Return, a humane method of care that improves the lives of outdoor cats.  With Trap©\Neuter©\Return, outdoor cats are humanely trapped and brought to a veterinarian to be evaluated, spayed or neutered and vaccinated. Cats that have undergone the procedure are eartipped ¨C a small portion of the ear is painlessly removed for identification.

In Orange County, Animal Services and CARE Feline TNR, Inc. provide a unique partnership to the community by combining the volunteer power of a non-profit with the resources of government to run a successful Trap-Neuter-Return program.   Over the last 14 years, by spaying and neutering, we have ultimately saved thousands of lives simply by preventing births of kittens, said Melissa Cranis, President of CARE Feline TNR, Inc. ¡°Feral Cat Week is a chance for us to create awareness that spaying and neutering is the humane answer to pet overpopulation.

For more information about how you can help feral cats, visit www.carefelinerescue.org or www.alleycat.org.

About Orange County Animal Services
Orange County Animal Services is one of Central Florida¡¯s largest pet rescue and adoption centers.  Last year alone, Animal Services received more than 24,000 animals at its shelter. For 40 years, the agency¡¯s mission has been to protect the citizens and animals of Orange County.  Its vision is to give abandoned and neglected pets a second chance to live long and healthy lives in safe, loving homes.  For more information please visit www.ocnetpets.com.

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