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Humane Society Launches 'Feral Cat Initiative'

DETROIT (WWJ) - The Michigan Humane Society (MHS), the state's largest and oldest animal welfare organization, is launching a new program to reduce the number of homeless cats and provide feral cats with much-needed care.

Utilizing a "Trap-Neuter-Return" (TNR) strategy, which has proven to be the most effective and humane way of handling feral cats, the program will allow MHS to provide low-cost sterilization for thousands of feral cats in the coming years.

"Every year, thousands of feral cats whose natural habitat is outdoors, away from people, are born here in the metro Detroit area," said Robert Fisher, D.V.M., vice president of veterinary medicine at the Michigan Humane Society.

The new program will give individuals who wish to manage a feral cat colony near their home or place of employment with the chance to provide the animals with much-needed care.

Caretakers will be trained on proper techniques and equipment to humanely trap feral cats and bring them to the Michigan Humane Society for sterilization and care. The animal will then be released back to their habitat.

For those interested in becoming a feral cat colony caretaker and participating in MHS' low-cost feral cat TNR program, MHS is hosting a required workshop on Wednesday, May 11, at 6 p.m. at the Michigan Humane Society's administrative office in Bingham Farms, located at 30300 Telegraph Road, Suite 220.

Attendees can register online or get more information at http://www.michiganhumane.org/ or by phone at 1-866-MHUMANE.

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