Feral Cats: South Orange Will Try TNVR, Partners With Hillside Group

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The Village of South Orange will be partnering with the Hillside-based People for Animals (PFA) to help launch its new Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate and Return (TNVR) program, town officials say.

On Monday, South Orange officials announced that PFA will help administer its TNVR program, which was the result of an ordinance enacted to address the growing feral cat population in the township in June.

“For years, the township and many other municipalities in New Jersey have tried unsuccessfully to combat feral cat overpopulation by trapping and removing cats,” village officials stated.

But now, South Orange will be turning to TNVR, a process that involves “humanely trapping feral cats, spaying or neutering them, vaccinating them against rabies and other common illnesses and returning them to their outdoor home to live out their lives,” town officials said.

South Orange officials said that PFA will be responsible for monitoring and administrating the program, including responding to and abating nuisance complaints about cat’s outdoors, overseeing cat caretakers, raising funds to support the program, and reporting statistics about the program to the Board of Health and Health Department annually. PFA will also host TNVR training workshops for caretakers and loan out traps to support those who are trying to help feral cats in their neighborhoods.

“Feral cats are the offspring of lost or abandoned pets and reproductively intact house cats that are allowed to roam unsupervised,” said Jane Guillaume, PFA’s executive director/president. “Cats are very prolific so once they start reproducing, the populations grow rapidly. But people are the reason that feral cats are out there in the first place, and it is our responsibility to humanely solve the problem we have created. We are thrilled to be able to lend a hand to help South Orange stabilize and reduce the feral cat populations.”

Residents that want to become a colony caretaker or needs help with feral cat populations are encouraged to contact PFA directly at 973-282-0890, ext. 222, or via email TNR@pfaonline.org.

According to town officials, 100 percent of all donations to PFA earmarked for South Orange TNVR go directly to offset costs of medical and surgical care for feral cats in South Orange. Those who wish to support the TNVR program can do so by going online at www.pfaonline.org or mail to People for Animals (clearly marked “For South Orange TNVR” in the memo field) to PFA, 401 Hillside Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205.

File Photo: William Garrett, Flickr Commons

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