Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the only humane and effective approach to community cats, or unowned cats who live outdoors.

Scientific studies show that TNR effectively addresses the community cat population by ending the breeding cycle, meaning no new kittens are born to a community cat colony. As sound public policy, TNR addresses community concerns, reduces shelter intake and killing, and reduces calls to animal services, all of which save cats’ lives and taxpayer dollars.

When cats are free from the burdens of mating and reproducing, their relationships improve with the people who live near them (think: no more kittens outdoors or yowling, roaming, fighting, or spraying). Additionally, many diseases associated with reproduction, like certain cancers, are prevented.

Animal Welfare Alliance formed in 2024 to bring TNR to DeKalb county of Indiana. Our goal was to upend the relentless, ineffective, and pointless cycle of catching and killing cats in animal shelters that had been standard procedure for decades. We launched a national movement with our educational materials, regional workshops, mobilization of advocates, and re-writing of laws. As a result of this hard work, TNR has become mainstream and a benchmark of humane care for animals.

Thousands of communities across the U.S. and around the world have embraced TNR at the grassroots level or as official government policy. In rural and urban settings, cold and warm climates, and everywhere in between, TNR works for cats and communities.

The TNR process is simple: community cats are humanely trapped, brought to a veterinary clinic to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, ear-tipped (the universal sign that a cat has been spayed or neutered through a TNR program), Microchipped, then returned to the outdoor homes to which they are bonded so they can live out their lives where they thrive.

The Microchip is registered with the information of the cats’ caregiver or the group that carried out TNR. Then, should a cat be picked up by animal control or impounded in a shelter and scanned for a microchip, the relevant people can be informed that the cat is at home outdoors, is spayed or neutered, and should be returned immediately.