COMMUNITY
47
LIMITED POPULATION
Last November, Arraiz presented the results of the Fort
Pierce Community Cat program to the mayor and commissioners.
Since it started, 700 cats were treated: 376 females,
324 males. Estimating that an unspayed female can have two
litters of five kittens a year, more than 3,000 kittens were not
born to roam throughout the community.
According to statistics from the national organization Alley
Cat Allies, the City of Fort Pierce needs to spay or neuter
821 cats to achieve zero population growth, limiting births to
only the level needed to replace the existing population. It’s
anticipated that number will be reached by early 2019.
Zero population growth means fewer and fewer freeroaming
cats. As a result, regions with a long track record in
TNVR, such as Orange County, report a decrease in complaints
to animal control.
At the November meeting, Steven Wilkie, representing
the Stuart-based non-profit Second Life Animal Sanctuary,
presented the commission with a $3,000 donation.
“We are supporting Fort Pierce because of your foresight
and support of TNVR, the only workable solution to community
cats. From an environmental standpoint, it keeps the
number down and takes the pressure off the shelters,” he
told commissioners.
Mayor Linda Hudson commended the veterinarians and
volunteer groups as the backbone of the program: “Because of
their collaboration and hard work, we have the support of the
animal-loving community, which is large and passionate.”
One of the volunteer-based groups, Operation CatSnip,
has coordinated with TNVR for years, sterilizing 40 cats near
St. Lucie Boulevard and U.S. 1 and rescuing 32 kittens. Only >>
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