Atwater launches program to control stray cats, uses an out-of-county animal hospital

Atwater is the first Merced County city to spay and neuter its feral cats to reduce overpopulation, but some question the selection of Stanislaus County veterinarians to perform the surgeries.

The city launched a “trap-neuter-return” program about two months ago. TNR, which has been widely successful in Stanislaus County, involves volunteers trapping feral cats, sterilizing and vaccinating them before releasing them.

Atwater’s TNR program was created in response to an ordinance in November that proposed a ban on feeding feral cats. The proposal sparked outrage in the animal rescue community and the new law eventually failed. However, city officials started looking at other ways to control the city’s abundance of stray felines.

A group of volunteers from Last Hope Cat Kingdom answered the call. Amanda Hage, along with several others, formed another group called the Atwater Community Cat Network. Hage said the network isn’t a nonprofit, but it relies on the nonprofit status of Last Hope to allow for tax-deductible donations.

Last Hope co-owner Renate Schmitz said her nonprofit is temporarily helping the network by donating vaccines given to the animals after the procedures. “We’re helping them only until they get their own nonprofit,” Schmitz said.

Atwater pays into the new TNR program

The city gives the Atwater Community Cat Network $20 to $40 for each cat it sterilizes, according to City Manager Frank Pietro. Hage said the group uses the Monte Vista Small Animal Hospital in Turlock and pays the hospital $25 for neutering and $45 for spaying.

Pietro said 43 cats have been sterilized thus far, costing the city $1,164. Although the city contributes money to the effort, Pietro said the TNR program saves money because the alternative – taking stray cats to the Merced County Animal Control – costs $98.50 per animal.

“I spent a ton of money at the vet and the Merced County pound each year for feral cats,” Pietro told the Merced Sun-Star. Pietro said 199 cats were taken to the county shelter in 2014, costing the city $19,601. About 230 cats were taken there in 2013, costing $22,655.

The Atwater Community Cat Network initially asked that donations be sent to a Merced post office box, causing some concern since it’s an Atwater program. But in an interview Wednesday, Hage said she set up the box in Merced because that’s where she lives. Donations are now being sent to a volunteer’s Atwater home, she said.

“Any funds collected are used for Atwater cats,” Hage said. “I have records of every cat that’s been trapped and can guarantee that all of these cats are being taken from Atwater and released in Atwater.”

Hage said the program has already reduced feral cat colonies near the city’s water tower. The group, which is composed of five volunteers, transports five cats at a time to the Turlock animal hospital twice a week.

The group needs more volunteers and donations, Hage said. Anyone who wants to help should email Atwatercommunitycats@gmail.com or call (209) 683-3623.

Using an outside veterinarian

Hage said the donations help cover the costs of transporting animals to Turlock. The city’s contribution only covers the surgeries.

“We’re having to take the cats out of town and it’s draining on our resources and volunteers,” she said. “Unfortunately, neither of the two vets in Atwater would work with us and give us a reduced rate.”

However, a local veterinarian said Atwater officials did not give other veterinarians the opportunity to participate. Jon Klingborg, president of the Merced-Mariposa Veterinary Medical Association, said he reached out to city officials to provide his expertise, but never heard back.

He said his clinic would’ve been willing to provide low-cost spay and neuter services to Atwater. They already offer that to several other rescue groups, he said, including New Beginnings for Merced County Animals.

Pietro said he reached out to the Atwater Veterinary Clinic, but said they didn’t respond. The clinic’s office manager could not be reached Wednesday.

This story was originally published April 8, 2015 at 7:33 PM with the headline "Atwater launches program to control stray cats, uses an out-of-county animal hospital."