This is an interesting snippet of cat news from Miami-Dade County in Florida, USA. Click Orlando.com reports that Florida officials will pay residents $15 if they trap stray or feral cats weighing at least 3 pounds and take them to the Pet Adoption and Protection Center1 to be vaccinated, sterilised and ear-tipped. They must return the cats to where they came from following typical TNR methodology after they have been cleared for release.
The initiative has a catchy title: Tip the Trapper. It is an way for the local authority to potentially dramatically expand TNR services across the county. And it seems to be taxpayer funded TNR which is nice to see. And of course the many volunteers who are already doing TNR can now make some pocket money to help cover their costs which I am sure will be welcome. TNR volunteers give their time freely out of love for the cats.
It is the first of its kind in the USA.
Note 1: the address to take the cats to is: ASD’s Pet Protection and Adoption Center at 3599 N.W. 79th Avenue, Doral, FL 33122.
Full guidelines and info from CBS local CBS 4 Miami:
- All cats must be treated humanely, with dignity and respect
- The Tip the Trapper initiative is only available to Miami-Dade County residents and only Miami-Dade County cats are eligible.
- Once services have been performed and the cats are medically cleared for release, the trapper must return the cats to the location where the cats were trapped.
- ASD reserves the right to reject services, if in the best interest of the cat.
- Services shall be solely and exclusively defined by ASD, which shall determine, at its sole discretion, trapper eligibility for the Tip the Trapper Initiative incentives.
- The trapper shall not engage in malicious activities that may damage the reputation of ASD, its other rescue partners, employees or volunteers.
Need more info? You can contact Michael Leiva at (305) 418-7171.
