Spay, neuter, release program needed here

If you don’t follow local Facebook discussion groups, now’s probably not a good time to start.

If you already do, you may already know about many of the local controversies.

McCook’s brown water is a “popular” topic, with high water demand stirring up sediment, turning otherwise safe city water a disgusting brown in some parts of town, generating questions about city priorities.

We don’t agree with the folks who think we should put off building a new pool and ball field until the brown water problem is solved; there’s no reason we can’t have both of those as well as clear water.

Another topic involves an elderly gentleman apparently banned from Barnett Park because of his bird- and stray-cat-feeding activities while the park was closed for flooding.

Whatever the facts in that case, it is true that McCook has a stray cat problem, one far beyond a level that can be handled by the dedicated folks at the McCook Humane Society, who are committed to euthanizing as few animals as possible.

Volunteers and organizations successfully launched a dog park in Barnett Park, there’s no reason some of the same efforts could not establish a program to deal with the feral cat population humanely.

One solution is a spay-neuter-release program in which stray and feral cats are sterilized and even vaccinated before being released back into their original habitat.

Such cats can often be identified by one of their ears having been cropped.

But it won’t be easy.

A team will have to be formed to research, plan and coordinate the effort to establish a sustainable, long-term program.

That team will have to include a dedicated group of volunteers or staff who are passionate about animal welfare and have relevant skills, such as animal handling, veterinary knowledge, fundraising, and community outreach.

That group will have to understand local laws and regulations, research existing SNR programs and consider the benefits and challenges of SNR programs.

Lawyers will have to be involved, of course, to make sure they have legal clearance to handle and transport the animals, and generous, cooperative veterinarians would obviously be key to success.

Like most projects, it will come down to money to cover veterinary costs, medical supplies, traps, transportation and community outreach programs, not to mention liability insurance.

That money will have to come from businesses, organizations, grants and generous individuals, and public support would have to be generated to ensure an effective, long-term program.

Those groups, unfortunately, are already deluged with requests for funding for worthy projects.

Starting an SNR program would require dedication, patience, and collaboration with various stakeholders. It is essential to have a long-term vision and a commitment to improving the welfare of stray and feral animals in our community.