Those of us who know PETA’s stance on TNR (trap-neuter-release) know that in general they dislike it. They think that TNR simply causes suffering in feral cats. They think that it is better that feral cats are euthanized. However, that position is not set in concrete. They say on their website that TNR is acceptable when the cats are isolated from roads, people, and other animals who could harm them and when the cats are attended to by people who feed them and provide medical care. In addition they approve TNR if the cats do not have access to wildlife and where the weather is temperate.
It seems that the CEO of PETA in India, Dr. Manilal Valliyate, has a slightly different idea about the requirements to support TNR. This is because 60 out of 102 community cats, living in the fish market at Hill Road, Bandra (West), Mumbai, India have been sterilized under a TNR program organised by PETA.
Hill Road is a major road going east to west in Mumbai. A photograph of the road is on this page. Mumbai is heavily populated with people, there’s lots of traffic and in general it is dangerous to cats. Indeed, the reason why PETA became involved in this instance is because in the words of their CEO in India:
Many of them go hungry, are deliberately injured or killed, hit by vehicles, or abused in other ways.
I’m pleased that PETA have supported these community cats. But in India their policy of support for TNR goes directly against their universal policy as stated on their website. Clearly, they’re putting cats back into a dangerous area but the argument (as far as I am concerned) is that at least they will not be creating more cats and therefore over time there will be less suffering. That is a tangible positive.
And that I think that this is a reason why PETA should be more supportive of TNR generally. TNR does reduce suffering in feral cats over time. This is because there are less cats. I wonder if they have considered that.
Source: Hindu Times
