The Animal Welfare Association (AWA) achieved a significant milestone last year in its effort to combat animal homelessness by successfully spaying and neutering 1,072 feral cats.
The operation was made possible by the AWA’s Mobile Animal Sterilization Hospitals (MASH) Clinic and Feral Fix program and exceeded an initial goal of 1,000 surgeries a year to combat cat overpopulation and provide community animal care.
“Exceeding this major milestone and our 2024 goal is a major win, not only for everyone at AWA, but also for regional feral cats,” said AWA Executive Direcor Laura Houston. “With encouragement, we challenged ourselves to perform 1,000 surgeries this year, and we are thrilled to have exceeded that goal.
“It’s a testament to our team, volunteers and community partners who share our commitment to reducing the feral cat population through humane and sustainable practices.”
AWA – a private nonprofit that relies on donations – utilizes its proactive Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) strategy, which involves humanely trapping community cats, performing spay/neuter surgeries and returning them to their original places. The approach prevents unwanted litters and helps stabilize free-roaming cat populations through collaboration with trappers and animal welfare groups in the region.
MASH clinics bring affordable and accessible spay/neuter services directly to local communities with a streamlined, multi-station process, from check-in and vaccinations to surgery, ear tipping, recovery and discharge, all managed by volunteers and veterinary staff to maximize the number of cats served at each event.
AWA performed 173 feral cat surgeries in 2022, then about 320 in 2023. Surpassing 1,000 surgeries last year highlights the importance of expanded community partnerships, according to Ryan Castoral, clinic manager at AWA.
“Reaching over 1,000 surgeries not only demonstrates the effectiveness of our efforts, but also underscores the importance of community collaboration,” he explained. “The success of this program reflects the dedication and compassion of our volunteers, staff and partners, and it will continue to play a vital role in humanely addressing the feral cat population in South Jersey.”
AWA’s work was made possible by generous support from sponsors, including the Save The Animals Foundation (STAF), 1-800-GOT-JUNK, the Brodsky and Bernice Barbour foundations and the M. Edward Morris Foundation. STAF proposed the 1,000-surgery challenge and sponsored the MASH clinic that performed the surgeries.
“We are so proud to support AWA’s lifesaving work,” noted STAF volunteer Paula Dean. “Programs like the MASH clinics demonstrate how collective efforts can create lasting change for feral cats and their caregivers.”
The spay/neuter services help eliminate euthanasia as a solution to overpopulation as they help prevent countless kitten litters.
For more information, visit www.awanj.org.
