Seocho-gu Cat Mom and Cat Daddy Lead the Stray Cat Neutering Project

T.N.R: Citizen Volunteer Group Responsible for Trap-Neuter-Return Process Including Stray Cat Trapping, Transport, Release, and Monitoring

Citizen Volunteer Group Activities

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seocho-gu District Office (Mayor Eunhee Jo) is resuming the operation of the ‘2021 Seocho-gu Stray Cat Neutering (T.N.R) Citizen Volunteer Group’ to create a city where people and animals live happily together.

Stray cat neutering refers to the internationally recognized and most humane stray cat management method called 'T.N.R: Trap → Neuter → Return'.

Neutered cats have about 1cm of the tip of their left ear removed for identification and are released back to the place where they were captured to live as part of the urban ecosystem.

The volunteer group participates in the entire process including capturing, transporting, releasing, and monitoring the stray cats. In addition, all citizen volunteers receive non-face-to-face training on stray cat neutering (T.N.R) guidelines and handling complaints to protect stray cats while alleviating residents’ inconveniences caused by them.

Last year, a total of 81 citizen volunteers for stray cat neutering (T.N.R) were active, achieving over 80% of Seocho-gu’s neutering performance. To protect neglected stray cats, a total of 150 ‘Stray Cat Winter Houses’ were installed from 2018 to 2020. These houses block cold winds and have insulation sheets attached to the floor and walls, allowing stray cats to spend warm winters.

Such systematic stray cat management minimizes behaviors that cause inconvenience, such as tearing nearby garbage bags or continuous crying.

Moreover, with a socially matured awareness of animal rights, this fosters an environment where animals and people coexist, promoting respect for life. Stray cats are also protected from increased exposure to diseases in harsh environments.

Meanwhile, although there have been no confirmed cases of transmission from pets to humans, there was a case in Seoul where a cat tested positive for COVID-19. Therefore, the district supports volunteers with protective supplies such as masks, hand sanitizers, and latex gloves, prioritizing their safety.

Seocho-gu Mayor Eunhee Jo stated, “We will continue to work with citizen volunteers to carry out systematic protection and management projects for stray cats, making Seocho a happy and animal-friendly city where people and animals enjoy living together.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.