Defending the Defenseless: Amid a sprawling stray cat population, New Yorkers volunteer their time to a humane solution

Abstract

In the U.S., pets bred uncontrolled for decades, producing large numbers of stray animals and a dependence on euthanasia to manage them. In New York City, estimated to be home to tens of thousands of stray cats, Trap-Neuter-Return, or TNR, is the humane and standard practice relied upon to lower the stray cat population. This project explores the purposes, implications, and history of TNR in conjunction with the experiences of volunteers who work simultaneously to aid and reduce this population. The challenges faced by rescuers, organizations, and others involved in TNR are also described.