Impact September 2015: A Caring Community Advocate Helps Nearly 600 Cats through the Cleveland APL’s TNR Program

Eleanor Albanese was overwhelmed five years ago. She had a colony of community cats near her home and had trouble controlling it. It seemed like no matter what she did, the cats just kept multiplying. Frustrated and at a loss of what to do next, Eleanor met a woman name Rosemarie who showed her how to humanely trap the cats so that she would be able to bring them somewhere to get spayed or neutered. And, that’s where the Cleveland APL’s Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) Program came in.

The TNR Program offers affordable spay/neuter and vaccination services for the community and feral cat population. Not only does this program help these community cats, but it also helps the cats’ caretakers, and Eleanor’s story is a great example of why.
Over the past five years, Eleanor has brought nearly 600 cats in through our TNR Program. She has played an integral role as a community advocate for the APL’s TNR          Program. One of her most successful trappings was at a home that had 20 cats. Eleanor and a fellow advocate began to help by trapping and bringing in six of the cats. “The cats did not like us there,” Eleanor explained, “so we decided to show Dale, the caretaker, how to trap.  He was successful because the cats trusted him.  He now is feeding 20 fixed and healthy cats.” This means those cats will no longer produce litters of homeless kittens.
“I can’t say enough about the APL’s TNR program,” Eleanor shares, “Sara, the Cleveland APL’s Clinic Coordinator, is so helpful.  She is my go-to person for any cat medical problems.  I can’t even imagine how the APL veterinary team completes their job every day.  To me, they are the best of the best.  I feel that I am not only helping cats, but also the people who care for them.”
Not only does Eleanor help community cats in need, but she also helps other people who want to help cats. Eleanor met Irene (pictured), another community member who is active in our TNR Program, and they became fast friends. Eleanor helped teach Irene how to properly and humanely trap a cat. Thank you, Eleanor, for helping so many cats and people alike, and for helping us to reduce the number of cats living without homes on our streets.
Learn more about our Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) Program: https://clevelandapl.org/programs-services-resources/trap-neuter-return-program/