BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Stray pets have been a serious problem in the area for decades.
But some residents are taking matters into their own hands, creating further concerns.
Posts like this are common on social media, with pet owners expressing concern that their pets may be trapped.
Most of the time, it's the cat that goes into the cage.
“It's actually called cat trapping, it's called TNR,” said Terry Cotter, director of finance for Operation Spy Bay.
Most people who set traps are angry about their neighbor's pets wandering on their property.
Additionally, organizations like Operation Spy Bay capture stray cats and spay or neuter them.
“I'm a volunteer here at Operations Bay. And when people call the clinic and are worried about cats at work, in their neighborhood, or at home, they let me know. Then I go out and catch the traps. '' said Operation Spy Bay volunteer Monica Locke.
Spay Bay treats about 10 cats a week.
They fix up stray dogs, give them medicine and release them in the same place they were found.
“Control the cat population. They don't destroy them unless they're sick or injured or just in bad circumstances,” Cotter said.
Operation Spay Bay collects only those who have strayed from the streets.
Some people worry that their pets will be mistaken for strays and trapped.
Bay County Animal Control regularly receives reports of cats trapped by trappers.
Most are stray cats, but some are family pets.
“A lot of times they're angry because they're trapped. If they're calm and the officers can scan them, they'll do it. Or they've seen it before and they're missing it. Some people know about it. They try to return it to the owner. But many of them have to come here. We will scan it if it has a microchip. We're going to make a call to whoever registers, whether it's a wild animal or not,” Bay County Animal Control Manager Kathy Beatson said.
This is one of the main reasons Beatson recommends pet owners microchip their animals.
With that information, shelter staff can help reunite pets with their owners.
Otherwise, shelters can only house animals for a limited time.
“We're an open admission shelter, so no matter how many people come through the door, we have to take in those animals. So if you're wondering how many animals we're going to take in each day, please let me know. “We can't control it,” Beatson said. He said.
When the shelter is full, unclaimed animals are transferred or euthanized.
All animals are listed on the shelter's website, so if an animal is missing, please check the website first or call animal control immediately.
Click on the link to see if your pet may have ended up at a local shelter.
Bay County Animal Control
Lynn Haven Animal Control
