Each year, the Animal Care & Control Centre (ACCC) accepts more than 600 cats into the facility that are classified as feral. As adults, feral cats cannot be rehabilitated into adoptable lap cats because they have not been socialized to humans and show signs of aggression. Sometimes these cats can be transferred to a rescue agency or ‘given a job’ through one of our feral cat re-homing programs such as the Barn Buddy Program. Another option is the Public Trap Neuter Return (PTNR) program.
The PTNR program is on hold at this time because of service changes at the Animal Care and Control Centre.
Participants in the PTNR program bring a feral cat(s) into ACCC to be spayed/neutered and to receive vaccinations. Participants then return the cat(s) where they were found and monitor their health conditions. It is not recommended that participants house or feed feral cats since they will be returned to the community where they were thriving.
The benefit to the community is positive because these cats have been spayed/neutered and the likelihood of new cats moving into the area is reduced. Over time, their population numbers will decrease.