Coney Island Boardwalk Cats Project reflects our Direction
You’re invited to an organizational meeting to start a pilot program in Coney Island similar to Alley Cat Allies’ successful Atlantic City Boardwalk Cats Project to care for feral and stray cats. The program would utilize feeding stations, shelters and TNR—Trap Neuter Return – a humane and effective method of feral cat management that stabilizes the size of the colonies and reduces nuisance behaviors. In Atlantic City, where the city-approved project was started in 2000, Alley Cat Allies Boardwalk Cats draws visitors from all over the country. Disneyland in California also has a managed colony of 200 feral cats who dine at five discreet feeding stations and receive medical care. The bonus for the community is the rodent population is kept under control and calls to public officials about cats are eliminated. Meeting organizers Josie Marrero and Tricia Vita will talk about the feral and stray cat population along the Coney Island Boardwalk, where demolition and redevelopment have displaced some colonies and thrown others into crisis. A video of the Atlantic City Boardwalk Cats Project will be screened. A representative of the NYC Feral Cat Initiative, a program of the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals committed to solving NYC's feral cat overpopulation crisis through TNR, will attend to answer questions.
We are moving forward - Join us!
MINUTES OF MEETING
CONEY ISLAND BOARDWALK CATS MEETING
There were 10 attendees, including colony caretakers, individuals certified in TNR, and representatives from the Community Board and Boardwalk businesses. Several people were unable to be with us because of the Passover Holidays and asked to be kept updated on and notified of the next meeting.
Our next meeting will be to appoint volunteers to tasks for specific trapping dates. We collected a sheet with names and interests of those who want to volunteer. Opportunities include assisting with TNR, transportation, administrative, volunteer coordinator, communications/social media, fundraising and other.
We saw a brief video courtesy of Alley Cat Allies: “TNR – what is it?”
We discussed the Vacuum Effect and why we must return the feral cats to the sites vs. relocating them anywhere else.
We discussed the various methods of shaping the behavior of the cats based on their reasons for creating various nuisances.
We discussed various ways of co-existing with cats.
Next week we will do a census of the cat colonies to assess:
1. Number of colonies and their locations
2. Number of cats in each colony
3. What our trapping needs are
4. What the terrain is like at each site
We still need the cooperation of the various site owners, we are willing to sign a waiver of liability in order to properly trap on the required sites.
We still need an alternate Recovery Space.
The idea of the Colony Caretaker as Advocate/Caseworker was presented along with the Immediate and Long Term Benefits of TNR.
Our biggest challenge will most likely be getting the cooperation of the Parks Department. Some of the trapping needs to take place in gated areas. Some of the Colony Caretakers feel harassed by them.
Another challenge will be the Medical Bills for the cats that need to be seen by a vet. Infected eyes; severe and chronic upper respiratory conditions and badly malnourished cats cannot be trapped and returned in poor health conditions.
What are we doing? This week I will be contacting Clinics for Spay/Neuter Dates and confirming Recovery Room and Mayor’s Alliance Transport dates. The first Trapping Campaign will begin after the 23rd of April.