A local cat rescue group is advocating for a change in St. Mary’s County’s animal control policies. In a letter to the county commissioners Feral Cat Rescue (FCR) President Diane Harris says the “inhumane policy” of capturing feral cats, transporting them to the Tri-County Animal Shelter, and euthanizing them is not working.

The Leonardtown-based organization operates under what is known as TNR, or Trap/Neuter/Release policy. In her letter to the commissioners, Harris explained: “Feral cats are trapped, taken to the vet where they are spayed or neutered, ear tipped and vaccinated against rabies. Ear tipping identifies a cat as being in a TNR program, specifically, the removal of approximately 3/8 of an inch off the tip of the cat’s ear while the cat is anesthetized. They are then returned to their original location where mostly members of the community are caring for these feral cats. Some FCR volunteers are caring for colonies as well.”

Feral Car Rescue was formed in 2007. Harris said before that the Tri-County Animal Shelter was euthanizing an average of 550 cats a month. That number has dropped to 300. Last year the organization vetted over 500 cats.

The TNR program was originally advanced by the national organization known as Ally Cat Allies, formed in 1990. Their philosophy has spread nationwide to local groups such as FCR. At a recent county commissioners’ meeting, Commissioner Lawrence Jarboe (R; 3rd) said he had used TNR on his business property. “It works,” he said.

The local group has been using a Facebook campaign to encourage citizens to attend the Tuesday, May 6 county commissioners’ forum at 6:30 p.m. at the Bay District firehouse to speak out in favor of the program.

Harris in her letter said that capturing and euthanizing the cats is costly, at $100 per animal. She said the TNR program saves the shelter $25,000 per year.

She added: “Besides being inhumane, the current policy is not working. This is due to something called the vacuum effect. When cats are removed, other cats move into the area because there is a food source there. In other words, they are filling the vacuum. Please see this website for more information http://www.all;eycatallies.org/page.aspx?pid=926 . Another reason this effort is not working is because usually Animal Control does not catch all of the cats and they continue to reproduce.”

The TNR programs are not universally accepted. They are often opposed by Audubon Society members who allege that f