Differing opinions
Two rescued kittens eat food at the home of Ivy and Jaina Spagis, president and vice president, respectively, of Cats of San Bernardino. “We’re putting San Bernardino on the map for a good, positive reason,” Ivy Spagis said of the care efforts that have garnered social media attention.
vaccines, microchips and IV fluids and to cover the $12,000 to $15,000 in monthly vet fees.
While some question what the Spagises are doing and advocate instead for the removal and euthanizing of feral cats to reduce their population, experts maintain that is futile, and that trapping, neutering and returning, or TNR, is the way to go.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or ASPCA, estimates the number of feral cats, or community cats, in the U.S. to be in the tens of millions, and that feral cats ending up in animal shelters comprise a large percentage of those euthanized annually.
“Therefore, the organization supports (TNR) as a humane and effective way to manage the populations,” according to the organization’s website.
The reason removing feral cats from their respective colonies is futile, experts say, is because it creates a vacuum effect. In other words, if cats are removed from an area in which they are colonized, it leaves a territorial opening and more cats will move in to take their place.
“It’s definitely not an easy problem to fix,” Watson said. “If we had the ability to spay/neuter them and return them
to the community, we would.”
Alley Cat Allies, a Maryland-based animal welfare nonprofit, maintains that the only way to stabilize cat populations is via the TNR method.
“It is the humane, effective approach to community cats and is sound public policy,” according to the organization’s website.
The Humane Society of San Bernardino Valley doesn’t have a shelter to pick up feral cats, nor does it monitor feral cat colonies in the city and across the valley, said HSSBV spokeswoman Jill Henderson.
HSSBV does, however, offer low-cost spay and neuter surgeries for cats, including feral cats, Monday through Friday.
“We have seen a significant increase in calls about stray cats or with community members confusing us with the shelter/ animal control and looking for assistance with stray or feral cats,” Henderson said. “I can also say over the last year we have seen a large increase in community members bringing feral cats in for spay and neuter surgeries.”
For the Spagises, their goal is to expand and have a greater reach.
“We’re putting San Bernardino on the map,” Ivey Spagis said, “for a good, positive reason.”