On a global scale, over 600 million dogs and the same number of cats are classified as strays. Covid-19 and its resulting economic downturn have caused an increase in the number of abandoned pets, especially dogs, as their caregivers lose their jobs or homes. Animal shelters in Malaysia are operating beyond capacity, with the number of surrendered and abandoned animals outnumbering the number of adoptions.

Hence, large-scale neutering of stray and companion animals is the only long-term strategy that will help mitigate the stray overpopulation problem and improve the quality of life of both animals and the people who live in the vicinity of stray animal colonies. One of the goals of TNR programs is to reduce stray cat populations in an area. The idea is that neutering/spaying cats and returning them to the environment will prevent them from reproducing. Over time, the number of stray cats in an area will decrease, and eventually stabilize.

Overall, it appears that TNR cat colonies were reduced only if there were high rates of adoption/removal of cats (around 50% or more), if there were high rates of neutered cats, and if there were low rates of immigration by cats. Without these, the colonies would not decline in size over time. To successfully address companion animal overpopulation and reduce shelter deaths what is needed is a combination of programs, implemented by veterinarians, shelters, rescue groups, spay/neuter organizations, and other animal advocacy groups working together to address the issues in their communities.

Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the humane and effective approach for stray and feral cats. Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) improves the lives of feral cats, improves their relationships with the people who live near them, and decreases the size of colonies over time. With Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), we can stabilise the population humanely, improve the cats' lives, save taxpayer money, address neighbours' concerns, and help the entire community reach a solution that benefits everyone.

Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the process where stray dogs/cats are trapped, spayed/ neutered, vaccinated, ear tipped, and then returned to their outdoor home and caretaker. TNR is the most effective & humane approach to control stray populations.

Benefit of TNR

1. Reduces the spread of disease.
2. Eliminates nuisance behaviours such as spraying and fighting.
3. Creates a safer community and overall public health by decreasing the number of unvaccinated dogs/cats.
4. Lower dog/cat intake into shelters, thereby lowering shelter euthanasia rates.
5. The returned, spayed/ neutered colony guards its territory,discouraging unneutered dogs/cats from moving in and beginning the cycle of overpopulation
6. Permanently reduces the number of dogs/cats in an area.
7. The colony's population stabilises- no more puppies/kittens!

Catch and removal doesn't work.

Not only is killing or throwing away cats cruel and illegal it is NOT EFFECTIVE in controlling the population of stray cats in your area. More than thirty years of documented proof shows that trap-and-kill methods have no lasting effect on reducing stray cat populations. Trap and kill is simply ineffective, expensive and cruel. If all the cats are not caught, then the ones left behind over breed until the former population level is reached.

Even if all the cats are removed, new un-neutered cats move in to take advantage of whatever food source is available. Once there, they breed prolifically, quickly populating a new colony with descendants that are more cautious and more diseaseresistant. This “vacuum effect” is very well-documented. Therefore the trap/kill effort becomes increasingly unproductive in the effort to reduce numbers.

Local councils and authorities to exercise discretion in allowing the existence of neutered tame community animals in neighbourhoods where societal acceptance is high, phase out the retail sale of pets, create a differential licensing fee to charge pet owners more for failure to neuter their pets and designate areas and land for animal shelters.