ASPCA Awards $4,000 Grant to New Leash on Life

NEW YORK — The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced a grant of $4,000 to New Leash on Life (formerly The Humane Association of Wilson County) in Lebanon, Tenn. The grant funding will be used by the organization to spay/neuter and vaccinate a minimum of 160 feral cats in Middle Tennessee over the next 12-months as part of their ongoing trap-neuter-return ("TNR") program. These surgeries, through their Fix for Life program, will reduce the area's homeless cat population.

"The ASPCA believes TNR is the most humane and effective way of controlling feral cat colonies and has a direct correlation to reducing pet overpopulation and the numbers of animals entering local shelters," said Julie Morris, ASPCA Senior Vice President of Community Outreach. "Due to New Leash on Life's initiative, Middle Tennessee is helping to create a more humane society and serving as an inspiration to other communities across the country."

TNR is the method of humanely trapping feral cats, having them spayed or neutered, vaccinated for rabies and then returning them to their colony to live out their lives. TNR has been shown to be the most efficient and humane way of stabilizing feral cat populations. Furthermore, by maintaining the fixed population, cats will naturally have fewer risks of disease and reduced nuisance behaviors. After being spayed or neutered, nuisance behaviors such as spraying, loud noise and fighting are largely eliminated and no additional kittens are born to increase the population.