Miami Twp., humane society team up to help control stray cat population

MIAMI TWP. — Miami Twp. and the Humane Society of Greater Dayton are teaming up to help control the stray cat population in the area.

The Miami Twp. Community Cat Program is free of charge to residents living in the unincorporated portion of the township.

The program is designed to reduce the number of stray cats roaming township neighborhoods.

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The program works in the following steps:

* Residents rent a trap from the humane society but must put down a $75 deposit for the trap (residents  will be reimbursed when they return the trap)

*The stray cats are humanely trapped on the resident's property (house pets are not included in this program)

* Residents call the humane society (937- 268-7387) to schedule a time to drop off the cats at its Nicholas Road location in Dayton

* The cat will be spayed or neutered as well as ear-tipped, which is the universal sign of an altered stray cat (cats must be at least 2 pounds and 8 weeks old to safely have surgery)

* The altered cats will be released in the areas where they were initially trapped

* Friendly cats, if space allows, will enter the humane society's adoption program

The program is the first collaborative effort between the township and the humane society since it purchased a property on the northeast corner of state Route 741 and Austin Boulevard for an adoption center.

Humane society officials, in a statement released Monday, said they believe that opening a facility in a high-traffic area like Austin Blvd. will give more exposure to the animals, ultimately helping those animals to find new homes.

For more details about the program, Call Miami Twp. at 937-433-9969, or the humane society at 937-268-PETS(7387).