- November 14, 2024
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The Flagler Humane Society, with the support of the City of Palm Coast, now has a Community Cat Diversion program, A program that has already been efffective in reducing the number of free-roaming cats in the city through spaying and neutering.
Community Cat Diversion will focus on two existing cat colonies initially, proactively trapping, spaying or neutering, vaccinating, and returning the cats to the area they were trapped.
Volunteers who care for, and feed, the cats will be offered the opportunity to join a “think tank” to share information on how to best serve the cats and keeping them from becoming a nuisance to neighbors.
“Flagler Humane Society has been practicing trap, neuter and return in other areas of Flagler County for years with great success,” Amy Carotenuto, Flagler Humane Society executive director, said. “The number of animals euthanized at FHS has dropped 78% over the last two years, largely in part due to trap, neuter and return. Another benefit with community cats not living at the shelter, is that our adoptable cats have more space, and stay healthier. Now with Palm Coast on board we will be able to save even more lives.”
Free-roaming cats that are not causing a nuisance for neighbors, and are spayed, neutered, vaccinated, and ear notched, will not be required to be licensed and the city will not cite property owners for those cats running at large. The city will also continue to provide funding for free-roaming cats that are brought into the Humane Society, and will assist in trapping when there is a particularly difficult case.
Carotenuto said that a cat in a front yard, may not be a free-roaming cat. It may have a home and just gotten out.
She quoted Cameron Moore, program manager of Target Zero in Jacksonville. “Not all cats are free -roaming. Leave them alone. A cat is 18 times more likely to find it's way home if it is left alone.”
The city of Palm Coast Animal Control will continue to respond to, and address, nuisance cat issues. But it is expected there will be fewer calls as more and more cats are sterilized and the number of cats drops.
“There are hundreds of free-roaming cats in Palm Coast, and we have tried a variety of approaches without widespread success,” said Barbara Grossman, Code Enforcement Manager for the City of Palm Coast. “We want to treat these animals humanely, while at the same time reducing the free-roaming cat population and the nuisance and health issues that can accompany unmanaged cat colonies. With fewer cats over time, we will have fewer problems and less predation of birds and other wildlife.”
Sue Roberts sent me this photo of her pets. Olivia and Angelina are same litter shih tzu sisters, pictured with their brother Duke, a 20 pound cat from Flagler Humane Society, who thinks he is their triplet! The three are inseperable and obviously, Duke makes a good pillow for a “cat nap.”
