Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Animal Welfare topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Weslaco approves $40,000 Best Friends grant and agreements to launch community cat TNR pilot
Summary
Council approved a one-year community cat pilot with trap-neuter-return (TNR) services funded by a $40,000 grant from Best Friends and a professional-services agreement with a local nonprofit for low-cost sterilizations; Best Friends’ regional manager described vaccinations, ear-tipping and complaint-response training for staff.
The commission approved a one-year pilot community cat program that includes a trap-neuter-return (TNR) element and accepted a $40,000 grant from Best Friends to fund program activities.
Lia Long, South Central Regional Manager for Best Friends (joining by Zoom), said the program model focuses on stabilizing community-cat populations through humane sterilization and vaccination, ear tipping and return to the site. She described training staff to handle complaints and distributing humane deterrents to residents who do not want cats on their property.
Separately, the commission approved a professional-services agreement with People Assisting Animal Control to provide access to low-cost sterilizations. Council members asked how the return process works for cats found in alleys or on private property; Best Friends and staff said the program pairs returns with outreach and deterrents so cats are not simply brought back into areas where they cause recurring complaints.
The commission approved both the grant-funded program and the PSA; staff noted certain travel-related costs for TNR operations are not covered by the grant and will be budgeted by the city.
