Trap Neuter Return Programs in Korea

[Karen]

I've read a little about TNR (trap-neuter-return (http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?s=trap+neuter+return&gwp=13)) programs to curb the stray cat overpopulation crisis in North America, but had no idea that these programs were going on in Korea until timvas mentioned it in the thread about animal shelters in Seoul.

So here are my questions:

Who exactly is running the TNR program, and what area does it cover? (forgive my ignorance, where is Yongsan?)

How many vets are participating?

How many volunteers are trapping cats?

Where can you buy a humane trap in Korea?

How can I get this kind of program started in my neighbourhood in Daejeon (where the stray cat population is through the roof!)?

After they're spayed/neutered, how soon can cats be returned outside?

Do participating clinics hold animals after surgery for any length of time?

Does the program need foster homes right now?

How is the program funded? How long has it been going on?

Maybe that's enough for one post. Sorry!

[timvas]

My vet (Pet Toy Vet in Hannam-dong) told me about it - as far as I know it is a group of vets within the Yongsan council area who are participating. Not sure if any other councils are doing the same. I can find out some more info from him this weekend if you like. What I had proposed in my prev post (in the animal shelter thread) was just a private thing - I was going to go out on weekends to areas where there are strays, catch them one at a time with live traps and take them in to be neutered. If other people are interested in helping me then at least I will have some other back-up options (in addition to my place) in terms of temporary care for the cats while we figure out whether they can be re-socialised, fostered & adopted out or just re-released (if they are clearly not able to be domesticated). I don't know of any other volunteers that are doing this at this stage (have only been in Seoul less than 2 months). As far as I know live traps may not be able to be purchased easily, I'm not sure where my colleague got hers from. I'll speak to my vet this weekend and revert next week with more info.

[Karen]

Timvas, thanks for the info. I will definitely spread the word, it's such a needed project.

The reason I was asking about if the vets hold the animals was because I'd like to promote adoption from those places. Does your vet have adoptable animals there?

I know that many people find a single cat on the street and adopt/foster but as far as I know the only other person who was fostering on a regular basis was Sommer Chambers who started Seoul Cat Rescue, and sadly she is no longer with us. I know she would have been dedicated to your project.

I wish I lived closer to Seoul so I could help you, but I will ask my vet if he knows anything about the Yongsan project and whether anything similar is happening here. I'm looking forward to learning whatever more info you can gather from your vet.

Have a great weekend!
Karen

[timvas]

Ok, some info about the Trap, Neuter & Rehome/Release program:

- Yongsan Council (which encompasses Itaewon, Hannam-dong and I'm not sure how many other areas) are paying for stray cats and dogs to be neutered for free by vets within their council area (on the understanding that the strays were caught within the Yongsan area).

- There are about 20 vets who are participating in this initiative.

- I'm not 100% sure why the council introduced the scheme, although I have been told it may have been in response to a community backlash against a culling of a large number of stray cats some time last year (this is unverified).

- Although this is obviously a good initiative, I'm not aware that there is anyone (council or private) actively catching strays to then have them desexed. So it's just something I'm looking to do myself with my fiancee (who is still in Sydney but is moving to Seoul soon).

- The idea is that if I can get a few fellow cat and dog lovers to periodically volunteer to foster the occasional stray animal (while I endeavour to find them permanent homes) then I can go out on weekends to areas where I know there are strays and attempt to catch them with the live trap I have access to (a large-ish cage with a step at one end where you put food - when the cat or dog steps on this it shuts the gate at the other end and the animal is then easily transported to the vet).

If I can get to the point where I have a couple of foster carers available, then after neutering I know I can either have the cat or dog looked after while we look for a permanent home (if it is sociable) or I can re-release it in the knowledge that its breeding cycle has at least been stopped.

- I started the rescue program a few weeks ago, only to hit a slight snag in that the first cat I caught (who I named Lucky - see her profile in her own section of this forum) is pregnant and will be having kittens in about a week's time. I couldn't bring myself to have them terminated so I will look after her and her kittens and try to find them homes once they are old enough. It will therefore be difficult for me to foster any more animals in the interim as I already have a dog and two cats of my own at home.

- That's about it - no govt or private funding other than myself, just looking for some other animal lovers to assist occasionally with fostering if they can.

- I can be contacted either via this forum, by e-mail at tim.vasudeva@gmail.com or on my mobile 010 8940 5233.

[alwaysamess]

I just visited the Chung Wha vet in Itaewon. They participate in this program. I didn't ask too many questions because they were about to close, but I'll be back on Friday and will get some information on it if you'd like.

They tried to get me to take home a sweetie purebred persian named Rinse. He's the resident cat Shampoo's boyfriend. The friendly little guy was brought in as a stray and was obviously domesticated at one time, so they couldn't release him back out. He's been patiently waiting for someone to come take him home. He's gorgeous and very calm and friendly. Poor little guy.

While I was photoing him (hoping you might put him up on your site...:-D), this other little one was DYING for her picture to be taken, too. She looked like a purebred...uh...one of those little black dogs that looks like mini Snoop Dog in the his Snoop Doggy Dog video way back when. This one looked like a former domestic dog. She was so full of energy and was barking and jumping around just to get my affection just for one second. I know that girl would be a little loyal lovely soldier if given the chance.

The vet said they are free to good homes. Just call them up and they'll introduce you.

Sorry about the tangent.

[Karen]

I just visited the Chung Wha vet in Itaewon. They participate in this program. I didn't ask too many questions because they were about to close, but I'll be back on Friday and will get some information on it if you'd like...
Yes, please!

While I was photoing him (hoping you might put him up on your site...:-D), this other little one was DYING for her picture to be taken, too... The vet said they are free to good homes. Just call them up and they'll introduce you.
Please post them! If you have permission from the vet who is holding them, in fact, please feel free to post pictures of any adoptable animals that you find! It would be wonderful to have a nice list and to help as many animals as possible find their forever homes. You can post new threads for each one with whatever information that you find & the contact information/ address (that would be why you should get permission first from the vet). I can add the animals to the Adoptable Animals page and link to their story in the forum.

The only thing I would add is that, if there is no adoption fee, then a donation to the vet who is caring for the animals would be a nice way to help ensure that the program continues.

Thank you for sharing this info. I hope to see pictures soon!!

[alwaysamess]

I told them about your website and they were quite interested in seeing your site. I asked permission to advertise the cat and dog for adoption and they were quite pleased. They made a point to tell me that there is always at least 1 cat and several dogs coming through there that need homes constantly. Eventually, they will put up photos on their site, too.

http://img3.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/th.d23229f03a.jpg (http://img3.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?d23229f03a.jpg)
http://img3.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/th.6b8b893e23.jpg (http://img3.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?6b8b893e23.jpg)
Name: Rinse
Sex: Male
Disposition: Very calm and gentle
Age: Approx. 2 years old
Coat: All white Persian, probably pedigree, groomed at the moment
Location: Patiently waiting at Chungdam Vet in Itaewon
Health: Considering he's at a vet, I'm sure he's neutered and had his shots, but I'll ask to make sure.

He seems like he was once domesticated. He let me come right up to me and was quite interested in meeting me. His face is just shocking. He looks like a person to me! The vet named him Rinse, but if he were mine, I definately name him a people name. Gorgeous gorgeous cat! He's been there for about a month.

http://img3.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/th.a5288216e2.jpg (http://img3.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?a5288216e2.jpg)
http://img3.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/th.45c5ce1f3a.jpg (http://img3.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?45c5ce1f3a.jpg)
Name: unnamed, but I named her Champ
Sex: Female
Disposition: Quite thirsty for attention, loud, talkative, bouncy (I'm sure when she gets adopted, she'll simmer down a bit with some attention and training)
Age: Approx. 1 to 2 years old
Coat: Looks like a pedigree. Nice, black, and shiny.
Location: Impatiently waiting at Chungdam Vet in Itaewon
Health: Looks quite good. Again, he's at a vet.

Very desperate for anyone to even just look her way. I think she was once a pet, but after being a cute puppy, became too much to handle and dumped outside. She needs a kind owner who will train her and love her to pieces. In return, you're going to have a steady stream of love and devotion forever. She looks like she's really good at kissing, too. That seems like a good deal to me!

Thanks, Karen!!!!!!

[Wibidad]

That dog is a Miniature Pinscher. I have one at home- we found her hungry and shivering on the street.
You are probably right that she was once a pet. People often choose Mini Pins for their looks, not realizing that they need lots of exercise and attention.

Our Mini Pin is super affectionate, but takes a long time to warm up to new people. She sleeps in her cage, but otherwise loves to crawl under our blankets. She LOVES her walks outside, especially when we take her to the mountain near our apartment.

She barks a lot outside, but not indoors when she feels secure.

The one in the photo looks on the younger side. I'm guessing around one year, if not less.

These dogs are not difficult to keep in an apartment. For some reason, Koreans seem afraid of ours, except when she wears her cute dress. Frilly doggy clothes seem to calm everyone down.

Our dog is extremely gentle, and she loves our cats.

You are right, whoever takes this dog will have a friend for life.

[alwaysamess]

Rinse: Adoption Pending! :-D

[Karen]

Wow! That was fast :) Awesome!

[alwaysamess]

Went back to Chung Wha today. I'll try to answer as many questions as I can.

As the doc explained, each gu has their own program. Yongsan (right along the north side of the Han river in Seoul) has a government program that has a "hunter", someone designated to gather up strays. That "hunter" (doc's word trying to be cute) brings all the cats to one designated vet. That vet distributes the cats to the other vets in the gu. The sub-vets spay and neuter, mark their ears (in Yongsan, not a hole but the tip of the ear) so that the hunter doesn't pick them up again. At the end of the year, the government goes around to all the vets and counts up how many cats they spayed and neutered. All the vets get reimbursed for the procedure. (FYI, Chung Dam is not the designated vet for Yongsan, just a sub-vet.)

Ok, I'm sorry, but I didn't ask anymore questions. We got distracted by Cobra's antics and I never remembered to continue the conversation. But don't worry, I'll be back soon. If Cobra's hole in her ear doesn't heal better than it has been with antibiotics and oitment, we'll be back sooner than 3 weeks from now.

BTW, I betcha Siheung has a similar program to Yongsan, seeing as how the shelter did her spay for free and marked her ear. Daejeon might possibly have a similar program already.

Why don't you tell me your most important questions and I'll be sure to write them down for you.

[Kathleen C.]

Hi, all! Just wanting some info. on where/how to get a humane trap for TNR. There are several litters of kittens in my 'hood. I've been feeding cats outside my apt. building and want to prevent more litters. I've used the traps before, in the US, but haven't seen them in Korea. Also,I'm in rural Gyeongi-do. Thanks!

[Karen]

I don't know if there are any humane traps for sale in Korea. You may have to order one from abroad and get it shipped. Amazon.com sells them.

[Kathleen C.]

Thanks, Karen. I may have to have one shipped if I don't hear otherwise.

[annie]

Some vets lend them, and I know my Korean friend ordered one from a Korean website. I'll ask her.

[annie]

Hi there,
my friend sent me this email address:
http://www.xn--910bs4kt7dz6l.kr/shop/goodalign/good_detail.php?goodcd=1154048349

It's in Korean, so you might want to get a friend to order it for you. It's the cheapest she could find...
They say it's for pest control...

[Kathleen C.]

Hi, and thanks for your help. My vet doesn't have them, but she thought there were some available, so I may go this route.

[sarah24]

some cat rescues inkorea let your borrow tem too.