Operation Catnip: Voucher Program for Stray and Feral Cats

Compiled by ASPCA® and PetSmart Charities® and distributed to the field, September 2007. Visit the ASPCA® National Outreach website for animal welfare professionals: www.ASPCApro.org. www.ASPCApro.org

Operation Catnip Voucher Program for Stray and Feral Cats

Operation Catnip runs a no charge spay/neuter clinic for feral cats in Gainesville, Florida. In order to increase their numbers, they created a voucher program with local vets and have increased the number of feral cat sterilizations by 33%. They are now able to do 2,400 surgeries annually.

Stats ! 16 of the 22 clinics in their county participate in the voucher program ! 600 additional cats are sterilized yearly through the voucher program ! Caretakers have been able and willing to pay a $25 co-pay

How Cool is That? At ASPCA® National Outreach we're especially impressed by: ! The involvement of so many area vets willing to handle and sterilize feral cats ! A voucher program that has a significant impact on the overall numbers for the organization

Adopt or Adapt Operation Catnip has relationships with 16 clinics, but you could start much smaller. Consider starting with clinics that could serve caretakers in more remote areas, or just launch with one or two clinics that you already have a relationship with in order to work the bugs out of your system before you take it on the road.

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Operation Catnip Outreach Program Voucher Program for Stray and Feral Cats Operation Catnip is a nonprofit organization that operates a high- volume, no-charge clinic at which feral and stray cats are spayed/neutered and vaccinated. Founded in 1994 in Raleigh, North Carolina, Operation Catnip subsequently expanded to Gainesville, Florida in 1998 and Richmond, Virginia in 2001. The Raleigh and Gainesville chapters also operate voucher programs where feral and stray cats are sterilized at local veterinary clinics with a small co-pay from the caretaker. This innovative and successful voucher program has allowed Operation Catnip to increase their surgeries by 33%. Who They Are and What They Do Ingredients and Prep Work Step by Step Results Some Words of Wisdom

Who They Are and What They Do Operation Catnip, Gainesville, FL Julie Levy, DVM, PhD, ACVIM - President Operation Catnip has been operating volunteer run monthly free spay/neuter clinics for stray and feral cats in Gainesville since 1998. Although they are capable of sterilizing 150 - 200 cats a day, the clinics are booked up weeks in advance. Every month they have to turn cat caretakers away and delay the sterilization surgeries until space become available. In the meantime, the cats remain at risk for having even more kittens. In 2001, Operation Catnip leaders realized that they had to increase their capacity if they were to reduce the huge population of homeless cats in their community. Since the monthly clinics were far too labor and time consuming to expand, they reached out to the local veterinary community to help them provide low-cost spay/neuter surgeries for stray and feral cats at their clinics throughout the month. Operation Catnip refers caregivers directly to participating private clinics. The private clinics agree to do cat spays for $60 and neuters for $25. Fees include vaccinations (panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, rabies) and ear-tipping. Caregivers pay a $25 co-pay per cat at the time of the visit. Operation Catnip pays the additional $40 for each female cat spay. The clinics bill Operation Catnip monthly.

Ingredients and Prep Work

Prerequisites A solid reputation with the local veterinary community

People ! Veterinarians who understand the need and are eager to participate ! Dedicated volunteers to manage the program: ! 1 to write grants and do PR ! 1 to handle relationships with the veterinary clinics ! 1 to handle accounts and record keeping

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! 7 phone volunteers

Up-front Costs and Startup Funding Initial costs for the Outreach Program were modest. The phone line is the same one used by Operation Catnip for its monthly clinics. The Outreach Program is run from a virtual office, so the only office expenses are approximately $10 a month for copies and postage. Start-up costs for equipping each participating clinic were approximately $120

2 Traps $80

1 Comb Trap divider $12

1 Procedural Manual $28

The only other major expense was $2,000 for a kick-off wine and cheese reception honoring the participating veterinarians. The start-up funding for the Outreach Program came from the Safe Steps Home program administered by the ASPCA. When that funding ran out, the program lapsed. The program was revived through funding from a Maddie's Fund grant for the Gainesville area that included a spay/neuter component. Six months later, the Outreach Program was removed from the Maddie's project. The program was so popular and successful that Operation Catnip decided to keep it going. Now caretakers pay 25% of the costs of the Outreach Program and Operation Catnip raises the remainder, primarily through grants.

Time Line From the time the funding was secured, it took approximately three months to recruit the clinics and train the staff.

Step by Step

1. Obtain a grant to fund the project.

2. Recruit volunteers to manage the project.

3. Recruit veterinarians to participate. Operation Catnip first met with several feral-friendly practice owners who agreed to come on board. They then made a very polished presentation to the local veterinary medical association at their regular meeting and followed up with individual communications with each clinic owner. Sixteen of the 22 clinics in the county participate. (A dozen or so of the veterinarians associated with those clinics also volunteer at the monthly clinics.)

4. Train the staff at each clinic on safe handling of feral cats and about the administrative procedures for the project. Although having the practice owners in the loop is essential, it is most important to train the technicians and front office staff. Operation Catnip left each clinic with a Procedures Manual and two humane traps.

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5. Instruct telephone volunteers to refer caretakers directly to the private clinics to make appointments and pick up traps.

Results

The Buzz US Faces Growing Feral Cat Problem

The Numbers Approximately 600 additional stray and feral cats are sterilized annually as a result of the program. That's an increase of 33%.

Critical Factors

1.The enthusiastic support of the veterinary community ! The veterinary community in Gainesville is very committed to ending the overpopulation problem. ! Operation Catnip was already well known as an organization through its monthly clinics that did excellent work and was always responsive to the concerns of the veterinarians ! Operation Catnip in Gainesville is run by a veterinarian ! The Outreach Program was modeled after the Feral Cat Fix Program in California, funded by Maddie's Fund, through which a grant was made to the California Veterinary Medical Association to pay veterinarians state-wide a fixed fee for sterilizing feral cats. Basing the project on one that was already embraced by veterinarians gave Operation Catnip a lot of credibility when they pitched their program. ! The program is designed without unnecessary administrative hurdles. Clients get information from Operation Catnip or from the participating clinics. They can make arrangements for the surgery directly with the clinic without checking with Operation Catnip. Since capacity is limited by funding, the program is not widely promoted. ! Operation Catnip volunteer managers stand ready to step in and deal with any issues that arise so the clinic staff doesn't have to ! Operation Catnip provides personnel at each participating clinic with traps and training in the safe handling of feral cats ! The veterinarians are paid promptly for their work

2. A very progressive animal control agency that set the stage for programs like this. Randy Caligiuri, Director of Alachua County Animal Services, actually spearheaded the formation of the Gainesville Community Coalition that received the Maddie's Fund grant that supported the program for a time.

Thinking Outside the Box As a kick-off event, Operation Catnip held a formal wine and cheese reception for the participating veterinarians at the College of Veterinary Medicine. They worked very hard to make sure the veterinarians all wanted to come. Local dignitaries made laudatory comments at the reception. The event was covered by the local paper and was a great pat on the back for the veterinarians, who, according to Operation Catnip Gainesville President Julie Levy, DVM, all too frequently give and give without any public recognition. The event cost $2,000 but was, according to Dr. Levy, "a great investment!"

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At this event, the dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine hosted the local veterinarians at a dressy reception that included a cart serving flaming desserts and a bartender serving wine and beer. Large posters with pictures of feral cats and the sterilization clinics were posted throughout the room. Leaders from the college, animal control, and the veterinary community gave laudatory speeches about the program and the valuable contribution the vets were making to animal welfare. Veterinarians are not used to such personal attention, and it made a great impression. Ultimately, the veterinarians were also honored with a "Laurel" award from the local newspaper.

How They Feel About What They Did Dr. Levy points to the increased mainstreaming of TNR programs among veterinarians, cat welfare workers, animal control and local government. The Outreach Program has brought a lot of organizations together.

Their Next Steps Operation Catnip plans to identify new funding sources so they can subsidize more surgeries in private clinics. Currently Operation Catnip does not advertise the Outreach Program because it is operating at the limit of the funding currently available.

Some Words of Wisdom

What Worked They were surprised that the caretakers would go along with the $25 co-pay. The program has been very popular with the caregivers.

What Didn't A relaxed approach to invoicing does not work. Originally, the turn-around on invoicing was slower, and organizations could schedule new pick-ups without having paid previous bills. This affected cash flow. The office manager also spent a lot of time tracking down late payments and resubmitting invoices. This was sometimes stressful for everyone involved. Today, a transport driver drops off an invoice with the newly sterilized animals. Organizations must pay the invoice before they can schedule their next pick-up. Organizations now have a strong incentive to stay on top of their payments: They cannot schedule more animals until they are paid up. Keeping current on their payments helps Operation Catnip keep down the cost of its spay/neuter services.

Be Prepared For The constant challenge to find funding to keep the program running.

Tell Us What You Think With the information we've provided, can you start a program like this one in your organization? Click here to send an e-mail to ASPCA® National Outreach with your feedback.

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Operation Catnip: Thumbnail Sketch P.O. Box 90744 Raleigh, NC 27675 P.O. Box 141023 Gainesville. FL 32614 P.O. Box 15522 Richmond, VA 23227 http://www.operationcatnip.org Operation Catnip is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to humanely reducing stray and feral cat populations through sterilization. There are independent chapters in Raleigh, NC, Richmond, VA, and Gainesville, FL. All three chapters operate high volume, no-charge clinics at which feral and stray cats are spayed/neutered and vaccinated. The clinics are run entirely by volunteers (veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and trained lay people) and are capable of sterilizing over 150 - 200 cats a day. All cats have their left ears tipped to identify them as sterilized.

Staff Operation Catnip Outreach Clinic is run entirely by volunteers: ! 1 President (to write grants, do PR, and schmooze) ! 1 Field Coordinator (to work with veterinary clinics) ! 1 Secretary/Treasurer (to handle accounts and keep records) ! 1 phone coordinator (serving both the monthly clinics and the outreach program) ! 7 phone volunteers

Operating Budget For 2003, Operation Catnip Gainesville: $45,800

Income: Donations from caregivers 25% Sale of logo products (shorts, mugs etc.) 5% Grants 70% ! PetSmart ! ASPCA ! PETCO ! Safe Steps ! Maddie's Fund ! University of Florida Combined Campaign ! National Humane Education Society ! Vanderwerf Foundation

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Expenses:

Administration $572

Education $13,744

Fund Raising $2,481

Supplies (monthly clinics) $17,281

Contract Fees for Outreach $11,820

Business Type 501 (c)(3)

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