This week, Granite Shoals, Texas, approved an update to its animal ordinance with heavy input from Alley Cat Allies that protects Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and community cats throughout the city. This victory is the result of months of our guidance and hard work with the Granite Shoals community, sparked by horrific comments about killing the city’s cats in late 2023.
Now the groundwork is laid for a strong TNR program, and the city is enthusiastic to get started. Alley Cat Allies will continue to offer our expertise and support for TNR and help Granite Shoals become a model for Texas communities.
In December 2023, audio from a meeting of the city’s Wildlife Advisory Committee revealed a disturbing discussion, with the former City Manager present, about “mass euthanasia” and shooting and poisoning of community cats.
The audio included these disturbing quotes: “Poison food, could you somehow round them up in a mass cage or something,” “I would be in favor of euthanizing and euthanizing as many as quickly as possible,” “The only authorized legal process for euthanizing is a 22 round in the back of the head. We have a location on this property that’s called Deer Heaven that I’m sure could be kitty cat Heaven, too…”
Alley Cat Allies immediately sent a letter to the Granite Shoals City Council condemning the comments and offering our support in establishing a TNR program. In doing so, we stood in solidarity with the Granite Shoals Police Department, the Hill Country Humane Society, and the people of Granite Shoals—all of whom shared our outrage.
We attended several Granite Shoals City Council meetings in the following months, helping the city shape the future of its approach to community cats. Alley Cat Allies provided extensive improvements to Granite Shoals’ animal control ordinance, all geared toward creating protections for community cats, legalizing TNR, and defending community cat caregivers.
This incredible step forward is a testament to the compassion the Granite Shoals community has for its cats and its commitment to positive, lifesaving programs that benefit cats and the city as a whole. Granite Shoals’ new ordinance can serve as a blueprint for surrounding communities, setting a standard for the humane treatment of community cats.
We’ll continue to work with Granite Shoals to get its TNR program running smoothly and keep our supporters updated.
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