We have a favor to ask…
UPDATE May 6, 2024: We need your help again! The county is holding a public hearing on May 8th and May 13th at 7pm in Bel Air to go over the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget.
We don't see any mention of animal welfare or TNR in the agenda that's been posted. This is a PUBLIC meeting that allows for comments to be made prior to and after the meeting. We would love to have more voices.
Per Harford County Government website: If you wish to provide comments you must be registered by the start of the FY25 Budget Public Hearing. It is strongly recommended you pre-register by emailing Council@harfordcountycouncil.com or calling 410-638-3343 by 5:00 PM the day of the scheduled hearing.
https://www.harfordcountymd.gov/Calendar.aspx?EID=9092&month=5&year=2024&day=6&calType=0
Thank you for your support of Shadow Cats TNR in our mission to help community cats and those who care for them. You may know that in the 8 years we have been operating officially, we have spayed/neutered over 10,000 community and pet cats. You may not know that we do this with absolutely no funding from our local government.
Our work has reduced shelter intake of cats by 20%. For the past 3 years, we have handled more cats than the municipal shelter operated by the Humane Society of Harford County. SCTNR has helped HSHC achieve a remarkable 98% no-kill rate, and the staff there appreciate our work. But unlike the shelter, which is government supported, our organization receives no county monies to ensure that we can continue to help the cats and community.
The annual budget is completed by the county executive in December and sent to the county council, whose members may vote to move funds from one line item to another. Requests for funding projects must be presented before the end of the year in order to be considered for inclusion in the budget that goes into effect a year and a half later.
There is still time to reach out to ask that TNR be included in the annual Budget. The Town Hall Budget Meeting is set to take place on January 23rd. (Additional details can be found at: Town Hall Budget Meeting.) You can email, or write to the county executive, Bob Cassilly, to let him know you want the county to fund TNR. You can also email iGovHarford@harfordcountymd.gov and tell them why YOU support it. Just a few sentences are all that is needed; the important thing is that they hear from many of us to make a strong case for TNR inclusion in the budget.
Here are some points you might want to consider:
- The estimated population of roaming cats in Harford is 26,000 (10% of residents).
- Trap-Neuter-Return is the only humane method of stopping the population growth and suffering of community cats.
- The shelter does not provide TNR services for the community.
- Using low-cost providers, SCTNR pays over $70,000 each year to sterilize and vaccinate nearly 2,000 cats and kittens, reducing intake by Animal Control and HSHC.
- Baltimore City and Baltimore County governments fund TNR for the public.
- TNR needs to be a line item in Harford’s annual budget.
Here are the email addresses and phone numbers for the county elected officials who need to hear how many of us want this change:
Town Hall Budget Meeting Email: iGovHarford@harfordcountymd.gov
Bob Cassilly Email: CountyExecutive@harfordcountymd.gov
Phone: 410-638-3350
County Council General Email: council@harfordcountymd.gov
Phone: (410) 638-3343
**To find your council representative, go to this
link: https://www.harfordcountymd.gov
If you prefer to send a letter via USPS: 212 S. Bond Street, 2nd Floor, Bel Air, MD 21014