Zero Strays Miri, A Non-Profit Animal Welfare Organisation in Miri, Sarawak.

Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR)

 

At Zero Strays Miri, we advocate a practice called Trap, Neuter, and Release(TNR) to reduce the population of stray cats and dogs in the city. Neutered dogs would be given a red collar and a Zero Strays tag as identification, while neutered cats would have their ear tipped. 

 

 

What is TNR?

 

TNR began as an approach to humanely reduce the numbers of feral cats in countries where these cats are in large numbers and become a problem to the local communities.  Feral cats are cats that were born in the wild or outdoors, and routinely display aggresivene behavior as a self defense mechanism. Stray cats on the other hand, are cats that were once someone's pet and are lost or abandoned later. 

 

 

History of TNR

 

The earliest documented practice of TNR occurred in the 1950s in the U.K. Led by animal activist Ruth Plant, TNR provided an alternative at a time when killing and euthanasia of feral cats was the only method used to control their growing numbers. TNR of feral cats is now widely practiced around the world, including in countries such as the U.K, U.S.A, Canada, Italy, Denmark, South Africa, Greece, and Hong Kong. In fact, in Italy, euthanasia of healthy companion animals was declared illegal since 1991. The TNR method was later also employed by animal rights activists in order to deal with the overpopulation of stray dogs, so that cruel acts of killing healthy and harmless animals could be prevented.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How We Trap The Strays?

 

At Zero Strays Miri, we try to use the least intimidating method to capture the stray animals. We often trap the strays using a barricaded fence to herd the animal(s) to a smaller space. Once the animal(s) is barricaded, our volunteers then step in to earn the animal's trust before putting them into the carrier. This procedure often takes up to an hour or two if the animal is terrified of us. Once the animal trusts us, we then put them into the carrier and take them to the vet. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Do We Do To The Animals We Rescued?

 

At Zero Strays Miri, the animals are also de-flead, de-wormed and vaccinated to prevent the spread of diseases such as distemper virus, parvo virus, tick fever, etc. In order to do our best to protect the released animals, we make sure that there are feeders who feed them and watch over them. 

 

Neutered dogs would be given a red collar with a Zero Strays tag before we release them. Moreover, neutered cats would have their ear tipped. This is to notify the public and the local council that these animals have been neutered and vaccinated through Zero Strays Miri. They would no longer contribute to the increase in the population of stray animals on the streets of Miri. 

 

The local council has agreed not to capture the strays with these identification marks.