I am writing this on Memorial Day, which is a very special day for our country. But it also is for the Humane Society of Harlingen.
Last year on Memorial Day 2015, we began “Operation Panda” our TNR program. TNR stands for trap, neuter, and return or in our case sometimes relocate.
There is absolutely no reason to blatantly kill feral cats. We started at Pendleton Park and have continued throughout the city of Harlingen, at the resident’s request.
As of today, we have trapped 479 cats, we have returned and or relocated 278 cats. These cats were tested, vaccinated, fixed, and ear tipped to identify them as altered cats.
Sadly 186 cats had to be put down due to either feline leukemia, FIV or heart worms, ringworm and mange, all highly contagious. We are averaging saving 67 percent of the cats trapped. Of the 33 percent that had to be put down there is an upside. The removal of these cats from the community has prevented the further spread of these easily transmitted diseases.
There is a national formula that says one cat equals 420,000 cats in seven years. Setting aside that formula and just calculating100 cats for each trapped cat, we have prevented around 50,000 kittens from being born. These measures help tremendously prevent the spread of disease and most importantly the number of cats that have to be euthanized.
Amazingly, this program has been far more successful than we initially anticipated. Unfortunately it comes at a great expense; with all the services that we provide the average cost is $60 per cat.
Now more than ever, we desperately need your continued support to help keep this project afloat. Please send your tax deductible donations to: Attention Operation Panda Humane Society of Harlingen PO Box 1884, Harlingen, TX 78551–1884. Thank you.
Pat Turman-White President Humane Society of Harlingen
