Program Curbing Feral Cat Population To Become Official In Baltimore County

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — County officials hope to formalize a pilot program that will "humanely and effectively" address the free-roaming cat population across the county.

The Joy Freedman Care for Cats Act would codify Baltimore County’s existing Trap-Neuter-Return pilot program to humanely and effectively maintain the free-roaming cat populations. It also would require the county health officer to establish guidelines and procedures for a TNR program.

TNR involves the humane trapping of cats that reside outside and show no signs of having been owned. Once trapped, a cat is sterilized, vaccinated and ear-tipped at a surgical center, then returned to the area where they were originally found.

“TNR is an ethical, humane and non-lethal way to lower our county’s free-roaming cat population,” Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski said. “Enshrining the county’s existing pilot program into law will help ensure we continue to responsibly address the number of feral cats in our communities.”

TNR helps reduce the population of free-roaming cats in communities, protects human health by vaccinating the cats against rabies and is supported by leading animal advocacy organizations, including the ASPCA and the Humane Society.

BCAS has operated a pilot TNR program since 2015.