TNR Program : Spay/Neuter Clinic : Programs & Services : York County SPCA

TNR Program (Trap Neuter Return)

Overview

TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) is a method of spay/neuter for outdoor, free-roaming cats. Community cats rapidly reproduce, causing overpopulation, animal suffering, and high kitten mortality. Participating in TNR is the only proven way to humanely decrease the population of free-roaming community cats.

Before utilizing our trap-neuter-return (TNR) program, please fully review the program guidelines below:

Trap-Neuter-Return Program Guidelines

Pricing and Additional Services

The TNR Program cost is $20 per cat. This includes the spay/neuter, rabies vaccine, and an ear tipping.

You may opt for additional services at the time of drop off.

Additional Services:

Distemper Vaccine: $20
Feline Leukemia (FELV/FIV/Heartworm Triple Test): $18
Revolution (treats fleas, ear mites, lice, some GI parasites): $16 - $18
Catego (treats fleas and ticks only): $12
Droncit Injection (treats tapeworms): $15

Procedure and Information

TNR Program Procedure:

The cost is $20 per cat, due at check-in.
We accept walk-ins Monday - Thursday, no appointment necessary.
Check-in is 8:00-8:30am.
We accept 1 cat per person per day.
Cats MUST be in a quick release trap. Cats in carriers will not be accepted.
One cat per trap. Traps with multiple cats in them will not be accepted.
Pick-up is the following day, 8:00-8:30am.

General Information

Weight/Age: Cats must weigh 3 pounds (approximately 12 weeks old) to have surgery and receive a rabies vaccine. Cats are sedated and then weighed. If a cat is too small, the $20 fee will NOT be refunded in order to cover the cost of sedation/anesthesia.
Already Spayed/Neutered: If it is determined after the cat is sedated that he or she is already spayed/neutered, we will scan for a microchip to try to find an owner.
- If the cat has a microchip, it will be held at our facility for 7 days to give the owners time to contact us back.
- If there is no microchip or no owner can be located, we will administer a rabies vaccine and perform the ear tipping prior to returning the cat to you for release. No refund is given for these cases as the fee covers the anesthetic drugs and the rabies vaccination.
Examination: A veterinary technician will examine the cat after it is under anesthesia and alert the doctor of any abnormalities.
- You will be contacted by phone while the cat is under anesthesia if there are any serious medical concerns that need to be addressed.
Rabies Vaccination: All cats receive a rabies vaccination while in our care.
Ear Tipping: Each cats left ear is tipped to help people easily identify that they have been spayed/neutered and rabies vaccinated. Ear tipping is required for all cats and cannot be declined.
Tattoo: Each cat receives a green scoring tattoo on abdominal area by their bellybutton. This is a universal sign that the cat has been spayed/neutered.
Quick Release Traps: For the safety of the cat, yourself, and our staff, all cats must come in a humane live-release trap. Free-roaming cats are of unknown rabies status and cannot be handled awake. The humane trap allows staff to sedate the cat through the bars of the trap and safely handle the cat once it is sedated. Cats that arrive in carriers or anything other than a trap will be turned away.

Caring for a Trapped Cat

Always provide fresh water for cats, regardless of age.
Always cover the trap with a sheet, towel, or blanket. This provides a much-needed sense of security for the cat during transport and helps keep them warm during the winter months.
Make sure the trap is set in a safe place where the cat cannot be affected by inclement weather or extreme temperatures.

TNR Pick-Up and Releasing/Care

TNR cats stay overnight and will be available for pickup from 8:00-8:30 a.m. the following day.
There are instances where we may not be able to do all of the TNR cats that have arrived for the day. If this occurs, a staff member will call you and let you know.
- Cats that cannot be done will be cared for overnight and done the following day. Pick-up will then be the morning after the procedure from 8:00-8:30am.
Cats that have arrived in traps will NOT be transferred to a carrier at pick up for safety reasons.
Ideally, the cat should not be released for 24 hours after surgery. It is very important that the cat is kept safe and dry inside the trap at least overnight prior to releasing. This will give the cat time to better recover from surgery.
- The only exception is if the cat is a nursing mother and must be returned to her kittens.
You may also want to refrain from releasing the cat during inclement weather, such as rain or snow, so the surgical site can stay dry.

Forms

Our clinic has recently transitioned to electronic medical records. All TNR clients are required to fill out a brief Information/Services Form upon arrival and a staff member will then check each client in via iPad.

For clients that are transporting TNR cats that are owned or cared for by somebody else, a TNR Transport Form is required.

To expedite the check-in process you can print and complete these forms in advance:

TNR Transport Form

Appointments

An appointment is only required to bring more than one cat per visit. If you would like to set up an appointment to bring multiple cats in for the TNR program, please email clinic@ycspca.org and we can assist you.

Appointments are usually made for the following month, and we do not book appointments more than one month in advance. Please note that when appointments are scheduled, the cats will be picked up the same day from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Trap Rental

The YCSPCA has live-release humane traps for rent. Please complete this form, and we can assist you. Trap rentals require a $60 cash deposit per trap, which will be refunded when the traps are returned. Trap rentals are allotted for a week at a time.