What we do
The Animais de Rua’s main goal is to increase TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) activities. Feral animals are, in most cases, unsociable, and therefore cannot be adopted. Since the Animais de Rua Association has a strict no-kill policy, we adamantly oppose our Government’s Animal Control guidelines to capture and destroy them (unless, of course, they suffer from incurable disease and are in appreciable pain).
We believe that the solution for feral packs and colonies that procreate in public locations is having them neutered/spayed. All the animals captured by our Association are neutered/spayed, treated for internal and external parasites as well as any illnesses, and finally marked by cutting off the tip of their left ear – the international mark of a spayed/neutered animal. They are then released back to their territory and fed by the Association and individuals responsible for their protection. Once spayed/neutered, these animals will no longer breed and the feral population will decrease dramatically.
We believe that the solution for feral packs and colonies that procreate in public locations is having them neutered/spayed. All the animals captured by our Association are neutered/spayed, treated for internal and external parasites as well as any illnesses, and finally marked by cutting off the tip of their left ear – the international mark of a spayed/neutered animal. They are then released back to their territory and fed by the Association and individuals responsible for their protection. Once spayed/neutered, these animals will no longer breed and the feral population will decrease dramatically.
Studies show that capturing and killing cat colonies is not an efficient population control method, since it only leaves the recently empty territory (a phenomenon known as the “vacuum effect”) available to other fertile, hungry and uncontrolled cats from neighbouring colonies.
A neutered cat colony is a healthy colony. The dishes they are fed in are kept clean and the felines are quiet (since there are no mating cries and no need to fight for females or food) and have an important role in rodent population control.
With dog packs the situation is very similar – once spayed/neutered and given enough food, the dogs tend to calm down and stop wandering in search of food and mating partners. The aggressive behaviours motivated by food and female search also cease to exist.
The captured tame or docile animals are sent to foster care whenever possible or released back to their familiar territory while we search for possible permanent homes.
Note: The Animais de Rua Association supports individuals or groups of people that are willing to spay/neuter cat colonies by giving on-site tutorials and, if necessary, by lending traps (cash deposit needed).