Feel Good Friday - Alley Cat Allies

May is National Pet Month and since my pets are cats, we’re focusing this Feel Good Friday on our feline friends and their Alley Cat Allies. 

Founded in 1990, the mission of Alley Cat Allies is “to transform and develop communities to protect and improve the lives of cats.” With more than 650,000 supporters, Alley Cat Allies works with lawmakers, animal shelters, and the public to change attitudes and advance lifesaving policies that best serve the interests of cats. 

 

A sample of these activities includes: educating decision-makers and communities about policies that save cats, advocating for Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) as the only humane and effective approach for community cat management, sharing advice and connecting people to resources through the Feral Friends Network and providing emergency assistance to animal organizations that help feed and care for cats and kittens in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

In addition to this ongoing work, there are featured campaigns. One is working with Australia’s Animal Justice Party to stop the Port Authority from killing cats in the Port of Newcastle. A campaign that hits much closer to home is the one fighting against lethal removal of cats from the East Bay Regional Park District. Between 2018 and 2020, 34 cats found in three East Bay parks have been either shot and killed or euthanized! Alley Cat Allies is working to get EBRPD to control the cat population using Trap-Neuter-Return instead of killing the cats.

 

If you want to fight against these types of issues to help cats in your community, download this advocacy toolkit. It will provide you with background information on the issues and teach you how to make an impact and grow the community.

 

Other ways you can help Alley Cat Allies protect and improve the lives of cats is by making a donation, shopping for merchandise and amplifying their message by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @alleycatallies.