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Volunteer urges Gaston County to fund TNR pilot, citing high numbers of community cats and shelter costs
Summary
An animal‑welfare volunteer urged the commissioners to fund a county trap‑neuter‑return (TNR) pilot to reduce free‑roaming cat populations and shelter intake; she estimated about 24,000 community cats countywide and presented a $2.25 million, 5,000‑cats/year pilot estimate.
Kate Driscoll, an animal advocate with Cat Smart Coalition, told the Gaston County Board of Commissioners during the public comment period on Nov. 17 that volunteer groups are overwhelmed and asked the county to fund a trap‑neuter‑return (TNR) pilot.
Driscoll estimated "roughly 24,000 free roaming cats in Gaston County," said Cat Smart fixed a little over 1,100 cats in 2023 and 932 in 2024, and proposed a county pilot targeting about 5,000 cats per year at an estimated cost of $2,250,000 (about $50 per cat). She argued a successful program could reduce shelter intake, save taxpayer dollars (citing a county shelter cost figure of roughly $190 per animal), and reduce long‑term rescuer burnout and shelter strain.
Commissioners thanked Driscoll for her testimony; no formal action was taken on the TNR proposal at the Nov. 17 meeting. The board's clerk and staff contact information were provided for follow‑up.
