Guidelines for cat rescue by Carter Luke
From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 1993:
EDITOR’S NOTE: Carter Luke, vice president of the Massachusetts SPCA humane services division, submitted the following guidelines as “a quickly drafted summary of my thoughts about things to consider” in cat rescue. “The MSPCA is not necessarily endorsing nor are we practicing neuter/release,” he continued, “but we are trying to provide guidance for humane approaches using any kind of strategy.”
The solution to the issue of unsocialized or feral
cats is often clouded with issues related to responding to the
presence of these cats. Clearly though, the bulk of our
efforts should be directed to preventing these situations from
occurring in the first place. All agencies involved in animal
protection should first and foremost be promoting responsi-
ble cat ownership, particularly focusing on matters relating
to sterilization, the wearing of identification, veterinary
care, and keeping cats safe at home, i.e. controlled.
Before doing anything