LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals month, and our Vegas Stronger Champion is part of a group that has successfully curbed the euthanasia numbers at local animal shelters.
Hear more about the incredible work Julie Lane does:
In a North Las Vegas neighborhood, the Community Cat Coalition of Clark County, or C5, takes a van load of wild, or feral, cats to be spayed or neutered.
"So community members, they call into C5, and if they're feeding cats at their home or their business, they call into us," volunteer Julie Lane explained.
"I'm a volunteer cat trapper, so we're emailed out a list, and I go catch the cats and bring them here to C5. They go into spay or neuter surgery at Heaven Can Wait, C5 brings them back here, they recover for two days to make sure they're healthy and good, and then we just take them back.
"If they're friendly, I will foster them and get them to a rescue. But most of the time, they are feral, wild cats, so they go back and people continue to feed them."
There are quite likely about 200,000 free-roaming, unowned cats in the community, according to C5 President Keith Williams. The organization has been active for just over 15 years now, having trapped, neutered, and returned over 63,000 cats.
With fewer feral kittens being born, cat euthanasia at the main shelter in Las Vegas has dropped by about 95% in that time!
Julie explains that it's a numbers game.
"There's a team of about 15 trappers that work together. If you trap five cats, say those are five females, you're preventing 500 kittens from being born, and then those kittens from having babies," she said. "Like I said, getting to the root of the problem of the cat overpopulation in Las Vegas, that is our main goal."
"Julie is such an asset," Williams told Channel 13. "She helps with fundraising, and pretty much wherever we need her, she's willing to step up, do what she can."
For her efforts, Findlay Automotive Group's Jeff Giles recognizes Julie Lane.
"We understand you've been volunteering for many years now, and you have caught and helped many cats," Giles told Lane as he presented her with a check for $599. "And as Keith was explaining, it really is a health crisis if we let too many cats breed, so we thank you for keeping Las Vegas safe and in good health, and helping all these cats."
The Community Cat Coalition of Clark County receives some funding from the county, but their donations have dropped by about half since the pandemic.
If you're inclined to help, here's a direct link to C5's donation page.
