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Photo courtesy
of Alley Cat Allies
Photo courtesy
of Alley Cat Allies
Photo by
Linda D. Kozaryn
Photo by Linda
D. Kozaryn
Photo by
Chief Petty Officer Kaylee Eger, U.S.N.
Photo by
Linda D. Kozaryn
Photo
by Linda Kozaryn
Photo by Linda
Kozaryn
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By
Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service
Naval Station Mayport, Fla., about 15 miles east of downtown Jacksonville,
recently shut down a three-year-old trap-neuter-release program.
Officials there claimed TNR didn't work.
"The cat population on base outpaced our manning and funding
to do the program," Lt. Cmdr. Kelly Merrell told the Florida
Times-Union in June. Mayport's policy since May 17 has been to trap
the cats and hold them 10 days to allow people to claim lost pets
or to adopt. After that, what remains goes to Jacksonville Animal
Care and Control or the Jacksonville Humane Society.
At present, Mayport officials said, about 150 neutered and spayed
cats remain free. They must fend for themselves, though, because
the May 17 policy prohibits feeding cats.
The policy also aims to ensure pet owners act responsibly. Owners
must register their pets with base security officials and are strongly
encouraged to spay or neuter their pets. Pet privileges will be
revoked if animals are unsupervised, abused or maltreated.
In July, Mayport veterinarians implanted microchips in hundreds
of the station's pet cats and dogs. Read with a handheld scanner
and smaller than a grain of rice, the chip holds information about
the pet's vaccinations, health and owner.
(Editor's Note: This August 2001 article updates a Web special
report article Navy
'Tenders' Seaside Cats, published in August 2000.)
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