FREE SPAY/NEUTERS FOR OUTDOOR CATS
New Community Cat Program
Williamson County Animal Center (WCAC) is pleased to announce a new Community Cat program, which includes free spay/neuter surgeries for all outdoor cats in Williamson County, including family pets.
Approved by the County Commission, and funded by a grant from the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, the Community Cat program addresses the growing problem of cat overpopulation in Williamson County in several ways.
“For the first-time, we are offering free spay/neuter surgeries to any outdoor cats in Williamson County,” said shelter Director Ondrea Johnson. “We are excited about this opportunity to address cat overpopulation with a free sterilization service.”
In addition to family pets, Johnson said the program will also address the problem of ‘community’ cats. “Many of our neighborhoods have an excessive number of unowned or stray cats that are often fed by citizens. We will be trapping, neutering and returning these cats as part of our Community Cat program,” she stated. Stray cat intake at the shelter has risen 95% over the last five years, and in 2018 reached 1,150.
According to WCAC Community Cat program coordinator Samantha Anderson, trap-neuter-return (TNR) is the best way to reduce the cat population and can eliminate many nuisance behaviors. “TNR improves the lives of cats, reduces shelter admissions, disease and unwanted kittens,” she said. “But, in order to be effective, it must be a community-wide effort that extends beyond our staff. Citizens are encouraged to report community cats and participate in the TNR process.”
To make an appointment to have your outdoor cat or a community cat spayed or neutered, call 615-790-5590, ext. 1823. Twenty special clinic days are currently scheduled for May through August, and space is first-come, first-serve.
Williamson County Animal Center, 106 Claude Yates Dr. in Franklin, is open for adoptions from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Adoptable animals can be viewed at www.adoptwcac.org.
