Cat overpopulation used to be a huge problem in Waukesha County, a county full of farms and undeveloped areas. Groups of cats, known as colonies, set up their homes wherever they chose, and proceeded to breed and breed and breed….
As Waukesha saw the growth of housing subdivisions, and large tracts of land became the sites of businesses and entertainment districts, cats decided to live right alongside us. Unfortunately, not everyone likes a feline neighbor, and these large groups of cats weren’t always welcome. These feral cats usually weren’t under anyone’s care, and were neither spayed/neutered nor were they vaccinated – causing a health hazard as well as that population issue.
Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) programs are a popular way to organically help with both over-population and those cats perceived as “nuisance” animals. Spay/neuter means less cats over time, and those citizens who participate in TNR do so under the agreement they will be guardians of the cats during their lives, providing them some sort of shelter option.
HAWS was able to reach no-kill status in 2017 while also remaining an open admission shelter. This happened in large part because of Project Guardian, the spay/neuter program we run for those citizens with outdoor cat populations or looking to assist with colonies of outdoor cats. Because of grants and private funding, Project Guardian is free! And, with our off-shoot program called Seeking Sanctuary, HAWS is able to find caretakers with alternative homes – like barns and warehouses – for these cats that aren’t suitable for traditional adoption.
We are solving the problem of overpopulation, one feline at a time! If you’re looking for TNR assistance, call HAWS and ask to speak with our Community Cat Coordinator.
