Trap Neuter Return History
Organized efforts of Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) began in Denmark and England over 35 years ago. TNR was formerly introduced to the United States in 1980, and in 1990 Alley Cat Allies (www.alleycat.org) created a nationwide network. Since then there has been a progressive movement for the protection of feral, community cats and their offspring. In communities where TNR is practiced, feral and community cat numbers have dropped.
The definition of ‘feral’ is to exist in a natural state; having reverted to the wild state as from domestication. In other words, cats that have reverted back to the wild state after being lost or abandoned, or the offspring of a stray or abandoned cat that has had no human contact for the first few weeks of life. A ‘community’ cat is an outdoor cat that lives a healthy, active life outdoors. They may or may not be wary of individuals and frequently acknowledge their caregivers. They are also considered ‘feral’.
TNR is a comprehensive management plan where all healthy feral and community cats are sterilized, vaccinated and returned to their habitat where long-term care is provided. TNR programs operate largely or entirely through the dedicated efforts of committed volunteers.
Friends of Felines is an all-volunteer non-profit feral cat advocate organization located on Hatteras Island, North Carolina. We are dedicated to improving the lives of feral cats and humanely reducing their numbers over time utilizing the Trap-Neuter-Return method (TNR). TNR has proven to be the most effective and only humane method of dealing with cat overpopulation.
Not only does the program improve the quality of life for feral and free-roaming cats, it results in a significant decrease in the number of cats euthanized in animal shelters.
Since obtaining our non-profit status in 2009, over 3,000 felines have benefited from the TNR program. Friends of Felines-Cape Hatteras Island is the only non-profit animal organization serving the island’s 5,000 residents with an actively practicing TNR program.
Friends of Felines is an all-volunteer non-profit feral cat advocate organization located on Hatteras Island, North Carolina.