Southwick cat
roundup begins
By HOPE E. TREMBLAY
Staff writer
SOUTHWICK – Due to an outpouring of donations from citizens after The Westfield News broke the story last week, as well as obtaining additional grant money, Southwick Animal Control Officer Tracy Root has begun trapping feral cats to neuter and release back to the community.
Last week, Root received approval from the Southwick Select Board to begin trapping the wild animals, but their fate was uncertain. Root said it cost $35 per cat for the TNR (trap, neuter, release) program at Dakin Animal Shelter and she could not cover the costs. Root said, however, the animals needed to be removed because they were a nuisance and health risk in the lakes neighborhoods where she estimated about 50 feral cats dwell.
When the Westfield News broke the story of the cat round-up last week, it gained national attention when the Associated Press picked up the story. Since then, Root received $2,240 in donations from private citizens and is able to use grant funding to cover the cost to TNR 92 cats.
“I also heard from three different organizations – one on Cape Cod, the Humane Society of the United States and an organization in Texas – that said they would give us funding,” Root told the Select Board last night.
The feral cats are being trapped, neutered and returned to their original locations.
“I have dropped off a couple of traps to people willing to take them back to their property,” said Root. “I have people trapping for me and transporting.”
Root added that any cat with a wound of unknown origin has to be quarantined for six months. She is working to find somewhere to house any animals who need to be quarantined because she does not have space for them.
Root said the TNR program calls for the return of the cats to their colonies. However, Root said if anyone with farmland was interested in having the cats there, she would happily move them.
Root said TNR is a way to humanely keep the cats alive while keeping the colonies from growing.
“They will dissipate over time,” she said.
Hope Tremblay can be reached at [email protected]
