In June, the city of Tempe started tackling its feral cat problem when it joined forces with the Animal Defense League of Arizona (ADLA).
The plan was to trap, neuter and release cats paid for using donations.
Tempe Vice Mayor Corey Woods and Councilman Kolby Granville provided the initial seed money out of their own pockets. Since then, city officials said some $3,200 has been donated, 35 cats have been fixed and there are 118 pending appointments.
"We knew that from the city’s standpoint, we didn’t have the finances to really fund that kind of operation to have inspectors or have folks go out there trapping cats," said Woods. "We just didn’t have the money especially with the other needs you know for residents, parks or trash pick up, so this was a very good way of organizations in our community working together to solve a problem."
It costs around $25 to spay or neuter a cat, and the ADLA is footing the bill using those donations, as well as grant money.
