These pictures were taken during a feral cat sterilization project that took place in Anoka. Animal Ark's largest feral project to date, more than sixty cats were trapped at one site in 2.5 days.
Of those cats, twenty were males that were neutered and thirty were females that were spayed The remaining were young kittens that were tested for feline leukemia and then placed into foster care for socialization. The kittens will eventually be taken into Animal Ark for adoption into permanent homes.
"Whenever we go to a colony and conduct a sterilization project, our goal is to sterilize at least seventy percent of the cats," said Mary Salter, Animal Ark shelter manager. "I think we got very close to that number in the first phase of this effort. But to make sure, we plan at least one more full day of surgeries on this site."
"Feral cats are an increasing problem in Minnesota," said Mike Fry, executive director of Animal Ark. "They damage wildlife, they can pose a public health concern, and they often do not have a real quality of life. Animal Ark believes that by preventing these cats from breeding, we can eliminate populations of feral cats, thereby helping to make Minnesota a more humane place."
Pictures taken and provided by Kate Cassell | |