Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:10:43 +0300 http://www.spayaustin.com/ Spay Austin Coalition en-us http://www.spayaustin.com/images/logo.png http://www.spayaustin.com/ admin@spayaustin.com http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=87 Twenty-seven Dogs Surrendered to Wisconsin Humane Society from Single Residence The dogs arrived in a horse trailer, all coming from a single residence in Milwaukee. The dogs are mostly Rough-coated Collie mixes between the ages of 2-5 years. The dogs have already received first vaccinations and an initial exam. WHS Veterinarians are now thoroughly examining each one of the dogs for illness and injuries. “Some of the dogs appear to have ear and eye infections and will need to receive more extensive medical tests,” reported Dr. Jane Pohlman, DVM. Arriving loose in a horse trailer, the dogs had to be sedated for the journey. They were frightened upon arrival and may take a few days to adjust to their surroundings. None of them had ever worn a collar, walked on a leash or been treated by a veterinarian. After they have had time to settle and make friends, we hope that we will be able to begin to teach them how to be respectful companions to people. Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:10:43 +0300 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=84 Truth about the Pet Trade Different people in different regions, all with one goal – stopping stores from selling dogsBy Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends StaffHow much is that doggie in the window? Such an innocent question from a song of a long-gone era; however, today’s puppy mills are an industry that generates significant profits. They stay in business because of a market for the animals they sell. Take away the demand and there is no longer any need to supply “merchandise.” That is the goal of many individuals nationwide, who take time out of their busy lives, because they feel the need to educate the public about the appalling origin of those cute little puppies featured in the store window. They brave freezing temperatures, glaring sun, gale winds, and driving rain; all in the effort to be a voice for the voiceless.Pets Plus in Landsdale, PennsylvaniaIn one of the states most well known for its proliferation of puppy mills, Jenny Stephens of North Penn Puppy Mill Watch is so passionate about the cause, she has attended every Saturday protest of Pets Plus since November 2006. Every week an e-mail reminder is sent to participants who gather in front of the Landsdale, Pennsylvania location for approximately three hours weekly to voice their disapproval of their puppy sales.“We try to raise awareness about the plight of the breeder dogs kept in the mills and to educate consumers about the many wonderful dogs that are available by way of rescues and shelters,” noted Stephens. “We’re giving people the tools necessary to make a conscious decision as to what is and isn’t right.”Despite her perfect record, Stephens has never actually been in the store, though she has been told that there is signage that states that the puppies for sale all come from licensed breeders. She is quick to point out that “licensed of course does not translate into reputable or ethical” and urges others to refrain from shopping at the store completely. “We don’t just tell people not to buy pets, we specifically say to not shop at stores that sell companion animals.” Instead, she believes that people should support businesses that do not sell puppies, even if that causes some inconvenience, such as paying a bit more or traveling a little further. “It in the end that is going to help reduce the suffering of these breeder dogs, then it’s worth it, because everything in life is compromise.”The protests are peaceful and courteous and most onlookers support their efforts. They do not have bullhorns or chant, their signs are straightforward, and they do not partake in any intimidating or sensationalistic behavior. “All of us are professionals and we give up our free time to do it. So it’s not like we don’t have lives or don’t have jobs; this is how we choose to spend our free time,” commented Stephens.She feels that a successful picket can be started with only four committed individuals and those new demonstrators do not need to invest a lot of time or money into a protest. Her group educates customers by distributing puppy mill literature already created from the Humane Society of the United States, PETA, and ASPCA. In addition, they have created their own puppy buyer’s guide that gives information on puppy mills, local shopping alternatives, and includes links to Petfinder and Pets 911. The other secret is to concentrate on one store, as occasional protests will not make any impact. “I think longevity is the key and I think that’s probably where some of the demos unfortunately fall short. They think they can do it once a week, or once a month, or once every other month. That’s not enough, it has to be a constant, in your face, message.” Her hope is that when people think of this store, they immediately associate it with their demonstrations.While focused on the protests, participants also reach out to other animal advocacy groups. They push to strengthen the Pennsylvania Dog Law Regulations and members recently attended the Pennsylvania Legislative Animal Network (PLAN) press conference last month to support House Bill 1065, the state’s anti-tethering law. Stephens noted, “I think that by forming a group that is showing consistency and being able to have a cohesive relationship with other groups, where you are all working toward one goal, is paramount to success. The groups have to start working together.”“If you’re not willing to do this for the dogs, how can you ever expect it to change?” questioned Stephens. “We all have our own personal talent in life and mine isn’t necessarily going out and taking dogs out of the mill, but I am absolutely dedicated to raising awareness about these puppy mills one way or another.”Petland in Austin, TexasJulia Hilder, of Spay Austin is a relative newcomer to pet store protesting. A Petland opened in Austin, Texas in late March and she and others from the area have been protesting weekly. She believes that there are many people who are unaware of the pet overpopulation problem, who believe it is okay to purchase pets, as opposed to adopting. “The goal is to go ahead and raise awareness of people who don’t know that we have a crisis on our hands,” Hilder stated. “I feel like this is too important to keep quiet and it gives us a really good reason to get out and talk about spay/neuter. It gives us the platform and the reason to be in front of the public.”In February, shortly before Petland opened, the Austin City Council passed Ordinance # 20080228-057. The new legislation requires “pet traders” to pay a $50 animal processing fee for selling unaltered cats and dogs, microchip all cats and dogs when sold, and provide a document signed by a veterinarian licensed in Texas stating the health of the cat or dog. Hilder noted, “I was very pleased that they passed it, because I wasn’t sure that the City was going to be that interested in helping us out and giving us some backup on this subject. This gives us the support that we needed to really hold pet store’s feet to the fire and make them be accountable.” The protesters plan to be vigilant, making sure that the City upholds the new law and Petland is required to pay the dictated fees and file the required paperwork.Still learning more with each demonstration, their approach is non-confrontational and respectful of traffic. Participants smile and wave at the thousands of cars that drive by on the nearby highway. Those vehicles that pull in to the shopping center are offered flyers which give background information on Petland, puppy mills, and offer alternate places to adopt and purchase pet supplies. The response has been heartwarming, with many commuters honking, waving, and displaying a thumbs-up gesture. Some interested people approach to learn more and a few, after discovering why the demonstration was taking place, even joined the protest themselves. Hilder further noted, “I think that we are getting through to some people who have never rescued or are not involved in the animal welfare community; who are showing up to our protests because they heard through Craigslist or they heard through the Yahoo group and the word is getting through to these people.”Hilder has also been filming and photographing the demonstrations and plans to create a short video. She has interviewed people in key animal welfare roles who have chosen to oppose the new store and explain why taking part in the protests is so important. Once complete, the video will be posted online to further inform people about puppy mills.“It’s not just that we’re protesting the opening of a pet store, it’s that we want people to know that there’s a lot more to this,” noted Hilder. “People need to know the crisis of pet overpopulation in Austin is there and it’s not going to go away unless we as a community solve it.” Mon, 05 May 2008 18:08:03 +0300 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=83 Join in the next peaceful protest of Austin Petland: Date: Saturday May 17, 24, 31 Time: 12:00 noon to 3:00 PM Where: Southpark Meadows Petland store, 9900 IH 35 (the furthest southern end of Southpark Meadows, located off the service road of I-35 southbound, South of Slaughter Lane, between Chili's and the Cinemark movie theatre) Shifts will be 12:00 noon – 2:00 PM and 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM (you are welcome to stay for both shifts). What YOU can do: Fri, 02 May 2008 21:03:06 +0300 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=81 written by former Petland employee, Jennifer Brown reprinted from A Voice for Dogs You hear a lot of gossip and rumors about some pet stores and some pay heed to them but others refuse to believe unless they've actually experienced a problem from that particular store. They wave off all concerns thinking that everything looks fine there to them so everything must be ok. Well for all you out there who doubt that Petland is a horrible place to buy pets or supplies from read on... I went to work for Petland in Beaumont, Texas about 9 years ago because I loved animals and wanted the chance to work with them. That particular Petland location was closed down last I heard but Petland still operates in many, many states and even overseas. They displayed a plaque from the Better Business Bureau and everything looked so nice that I was very happy and excited when I was hired but during the course of working there about two years I learned what went on behind closed doors. I've left out gossip and second hand information in this so everything in here are things that I saw with my own eyes. I cannot promise you that ALL Petland stores are this bad, or even this good, but I can tell you that ALL Petland stores should be boycotted because I've contacted the main office several times and the fact is that Petland, Inc. doesn't care two bits about the suffering I witnessed. As long as they get their money they'll continue to let any store abuse their animals. If Petland would care to contact me and work with me to put an end to these atrocities I'll be more than happy to help out in any way I can. Mon, 14 Apr 2008 02:58:53 +0300 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=80 You may know purebred dogs are sold at auction. You may not know these dogs are bred as though they are livestock, a cash crop, except livestock are treated better than the dogs. Commercial dogs are sold through pet stores to homes who expect them to live long lives as companion pets. Instead, many commercially bred dogs turn out to be genetic nightmares. Puppy mills are commercial breeders, in business to make a profit. Many are USDA licensed. Pet store puppies come from puppy mills and the cottage industry. The "cottage industry" breeds dogs for brokers. These are the “local breeders” Petland refers to when asked where they get their dogs. They whelp litters, then give them to USDA licensed breeders who consign them to auction or send them to pet stores including Petland. Names you will see on registration papers from "commercial breeders" owned by Hunte Corporation (one of Petland's primary suppliers and the largest puppy mill in the U.S.) are: HONEY DEW/ I LOVE MY PUPPY/ DOBOTRI/BEST FRIENDS. They are ALL "commercial breeders" for THE HUNTE CORP or H & H Pets of Elkland, MO You may also be surprised to learn that Petland has a history of “partnering” with local animal shelters through Petland's in-store 'Adopt a Pet' program. This gives just enough reputability to satisfy the animal welfare activists who don't see the big picture. Others, including the Spay Austin Coalition, remain outraged at the perpetual cycle of abuse, neglect, and infusion of intact animals into the community. "Here's a national pet store that has a reputation for not doing what's right for the animals that threw out a bone and the Town Lake Animal Center bit,” said Julia Hilder, President of the Spay Austin Coalition. "We urge a complete boycott of Petland until they make a positive impact in the community by spaying and neutering the animals they sell. Until then, they will only add to the problem by selling animals to anyone with a credit card who thinks their new, expensive Petland animal should have puppies or kittens." Now, after years of refusing requests from individuals and animal rescue groups offering to transport and showcase animals at PetsMart and PetCo, the Town Lake Animal Center has decided to partner with Petland. The Spay Austin Coalition strongly opposes this partnership, believing it will not benefit animals in the long term. Petland and their puppy and kitten mill suppliers will continue to profit while intact animals, many with congenital defects, will flood into Austin. Other cities have faced the same problem Austin faces now with the opening of a new Petland in their community. See a puppy mill video Fri, 28 Mar 2008 22:52:16 +0200 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=78 Inaugural Austin Petland protest begins to get the word out, next picket scheduled for March 29.By Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends Network Animal advocates from Austin and surrounding communities staged a peaceful protest at the soon to open Petland store. Picketers held signs and waved to the passing traffic in an effort to promote the adoption of homeless animals, rather than purchasing them from retail establishments. Based on the number of honks, thumbs up gestures, and waves back, many of the commuters agreed. The chant, “adopt, don’t shop” was heard repeatedly to convince the passers-by to boycott the store and instead support shelters and rescue organizations.The Petland store in Austin is scheduled to open on Saturday, March 29 and the local animal rescue community is galvanized. Unlike PetSmart and Petco, which do not sell puppies or kittens and instead allow shelter and rescue organizations to adopt their animals at their stores, Petland sells unaltered puppies and kittens directly to the public. To make this travesty even worse, it has been documented that Petland obtains animals from puppy mills; horrific places where animals are bred like livestock to produce litter after litter, solely for profit. Such breeding facilities rarely provide for their animals medically or socially, and when the dogs can no longer produce, they are discarded. Puppies are often sold while they are small and cute, prior to the proper weaning time, making them more susceptible to disease and lacking proper social skills. If not initially sold at the young puppy stage, they too are abandoned or sold at auction to become breeding stock at another puppy mill. Stores like Petland, that obtain their “products” from puppy mills, sustain this cruel industry.Though the editors of Dog Fancy magazine included Austin as one of the “Top 10 pet-friendly cities” in the nation in 2007, there is still a huge issue of pet overpopulation. While spay/neuter is the most important factor in decreasing the number of homeless pets, the launch of a store like Petland, will work against what many organizations have been striving to correct for years. The introduction of an entirely new source of unfixed animals will quickly put an additional strain on the already overburdened local rescue groups. (Ruthann Panipinto, courtesy of Julia Hilder) Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:10:02 +0200 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=75 By Julia Hilder of Spay Austin Coalition If you are a dog or cat lover here’s a statistic that will make you sick. 12,000 adoptable animals were killed at the city shelter last year because there aren’t enough good homes and way too many puppies and kittens being born. Public awareness of the crisis is getting more attention and old fashioned attitudes are changing but we still have a lot of work to cut the kill rate and make Austin a better place for our animal friends. Pet overpopulation is a community wide problem and it is the community that must work together to stop the killing. The answer is to spay and neuter your pet and Austin has excellent and inexpensive resources to get the job done. Where can you get low cost spays and neuters? Fri, 29 Feb 2008 22:12:28 +0200 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=74 City Council legalizes Trap-Neuter-Release programs for cats KATHRYN EAKENS Round Rock Leader Staff 11/23/2007 Without human contact, abandoned cats revert to a feral - or undomesticated - state, band together in groups called colonies and begin to reproduce, contributing to feline overpopulation. According the Austin Feral Cats organization, two reproducing feral cats can become 12,000 in just five years. As a result of a city council vote Thursday, Shadow Cats and Street Cat Rescue - two Round Rock organizations - will now be able to lawfully implement Trap-Neuter-Return programs to help reduce the number of feral cats in the city. Council members voted unanimously for the Restraint of Animals ordinance - which makes it unlawful for any animal to be at large within the city limits - to provide a defense to prosecution if the animal is a feral cat participating in a Trap-Neuter-Return program approved by the city. Sun, 25 Nov 2007 09:06:35 +0200 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=72 The Spay Austin Coalition has partnered with ISAR on these great looking billboards. We already have two up and need your help to buy more. The two we have now are located on Southbound I-35 near St Johns and Montopolis at Riverside. Have you ever wondered how those giant billboard posters are put up? Here's your chance to find out. Julia Hilder, President of the Spay Austin Coalition, was on scene and filmed the whole process. Watch the installation of one of our billboards. So what can you do to help us spread the word? Make a donation Buy a Spay Austin Coalition t-shirt, mug or bumper sticker Tell all your friends, family and neighbors to do the same! Tue, 25 Sep 2007 01:20:55 +0300 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=68 The Spay Austin Coalition has partnered with ISAR on these great looking billboards. We have already purchased two and need your help to buy more. The two we have now are located on the upper deck going south and in the Montopolis area. So what can you do? Tue, 21 Aug 2007 06:03:09 +0300 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=67 Web Posted: 07/22/2007 11:32 PM CDT Laura E. JesseExpress-News Several times a week, Animal Care Services takes in dogs that have been tied up so long that the collars or tethering devices - chains, plastic coated wires or clotheslines - have become embedded in the animals' necks. "Some are picked up after they've been able to break free; maybe they thought life was better on the street than tied up to a fence," said ACS spokeswoman Lisa Norwood. "It's sad because when they come in and you look at these animals and they look at you, it's almost like it's a relief for them." Thu, 02 Aug 2007 21:45:29 +0300 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=53 While not specifically related to spay/neuter, I found a new website to help make sorting through federal legislation easier. OpenCongress.org is a website for political junkies to find current legislation by issue topic, sponsor, committee, or industry. No more searching through Thomas or individual representative sites with sketchy search results and ambiguous press releases. OpenCongress.org main page General Animal Issues Animal Breeding Issues - no current bills - yet! How to Use Fri, 02 Mar 2007 02:19:45 +0200 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=47 One of the largest cities in the southern United States, Austin, Texas, experienced a 41-percent growth rate from 1995 to 2005, and is home to 1.4 million residents. It has a rich history of working toward the goal of becoming a "humane community." In fact, the City of Austin and County Commissioners Court passed a resolution in 1997 to make Austin a “no-kill” city. Now, as a target community in the ASPCA® Mission: Orange™ campaign, Austin hopes to realize that dream in the near future. Austin’s lead community and animal welfare agencies for this campaign are: Town Lake Animal Center (the city-funded shelter), Austin Humane Society (a non-profit, no-kill shelter), Animal Trustees of Austin (a stationary spay/neuter and wellness services clinic) and emanciPET (a mobile and stationary spay/neuter clinic). Wed, 24 Jan 2007 22:17:04 +0200 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=45 “Pet” shops use the natural appeal of puppies, kittens, and other animals to sell these animals at an inflated price, which is often several hundred dollars—and sometimes more —for “purebred” animals. Common problems in the pet shop industry include selling sick and injured animals to the public, failing to provide proper veterinary care, keeping animals in unsanitary conditions, and using inhumane methods to kill sick and unwanted animals. You can help bring about changes in local pet stores if you know what conditions to look for and what steps to take. Tue, 23 Jan 2007 03:04:36 +0200 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=44 An estimated 70 million feral cats—cats who have never had contact with humans and who are the offspring of abandoned, unaltered tame cats—are roaming the parks, parking lots, back yards, and back streets of America.(1) Although ferals are fearful of humans, they are still members of a domesticated species, and they are ill-equipped to survive on their own. Feral cats do not die of “old age.” Many are poisoned, shot, tortured by cruel people, attacked by other animals, or hit by cars. Others die of exposure, starvation, or highly contagious fatal diseases, such as rabies, feline AIDS, feline leukemia, and feline infectious peritonitis. Tue, 23 Jan 2007 02:55:57 +0200 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=43 The single most important thing that we can do to save animals from all the suffering and death that their overpopulation causes is to spay and neuter them. Just one unaltered female cat and her offspring can produce an estimated 420,000 cats in only seven years. In six years, a female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies. So every time we spay or neuter just one animal, we prevent the births of thousands of animals. On the other hand, if we pass by even one unsterilized animal without seeing to it that she or he is spayed or neutered, we are turning our backs on thousands of unwanted animals and more than likely condemning them to hideous fates. Tue, 23 Jan 2007 01:55:55 +0200 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=42 Many people enjoy the companionship of cats and dogs, who were domesticated thousands of years ago.(1) Over time, people have manipulated animal breeding to produce certain physical characteristics, resulting in the different types of cats and dogs we know today. But domestication took these animals out of their natural environment, and their reproduction is no longer regulated by predators or habitat. The result is an overpopulation crisis that can only be controlled through widespread spaying and neutering. Tue, 23 Jan 2007 01:48:52 +0200 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=39 By Margaret R. Slater for the HSUS You can find them just about anywhere: They may peek out from under a dumpster at your local gas station or food store. They may slink furtively around the perimeter of your home in the country. They may even take up residence under your back porch. They're free-roaming cats, and they inspire a lot different feelings—anger, fear, sadness, maybe even guilt. But they should also inspire something else: action. The reason for action is clear, even if the responsibilities that motivate it are not. If people do nothing about free-roaming cats and kittens, many of the young ones will die before their first birthday. Those who survive may have kittens of their own. In a couple of years, two or three cats become five or 10 cats, contributing to an already overpopulated community of cats. Mon, 15 Jan 2007 00:21:37 +0200 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=36 There is NO doubt about it. Puppies are CUTE! People are suckers for puppies. When someone sees the adorable puppies in the cages at the petstore it IS hard to resist. We're here to tell you why you should resist. Many people are actually concerned about where the pups come from and will ask the store clerks if the puppies come from Puppy Mills. The TRAINED salesperson will say something to the effect, "no, our puppies come from private breeders", or "no, our puppies come from local breeders", or "no, our puppies come from USDA inspected kennels". Most people are satisfied with either of those answers. Well we aren't! Thu, 11 Jan 2007 22:58:18 +0200 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=30 Pet lovers attend festival to reduce animal euthanasia 2/2/04 The Daily Texan By Tran Pham Emmy Lou and Alina both have something to grin about: They won the title of Most Look-alike Pair. While Alina wore a black jacket with a fur-trimmed collar and had brown pigtails, Emmy Lou, half Alina's height, sat on her hind legs and had black and white spots on her face and a black, thumping tail. They won a competition that awarded pets and owners who most resembled one another. Alina Adonyi, a sixth-grade teacher at Martin Middle School in East Austin, and Emmy Lou attended a rally organized by the Spay Austin Campaign on Saturday. Fri, 29 Dec 2006 17:23:20 +0200 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=29 Sep 10, 2006 David Scott Reporting CBS 42 AUSTIN Wild, feral cats are overrunning more and more neighborhoods across Central Texas. They are a nuisance and can carry diseases, but now there's a new program to cut their numbers on the street. It's estimated there are 330,000 cats in Travis County--half of them feral, wild, prowling the streets and alleys, roaming the woods and fields, developing hidden dens and lairs, and multiplying. The fact is feral cats are a neighborhood nuisance. They spread diseases to other animals and children. They're good for one thing and one thing only--breeding. Fri, 29 Dec 2006 16:15:47 +0200 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=24 By request, 2 versions of TNR project notification have been added to the downloads area. Mon, 18 Dec 2006 02:05:34 +0200 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=22 I came across the following user comment thread on statesman.com. One of the topics at our last meeting was how to speak more confidentally and persuasively about TNR, so I decided to post the entire thread. There is a lot of support in these 63 comments, but it's more important to understand why some people are not in favor of feral colony management so we can better communicate our message. One of my first thoughts was that many of the commenters (63 is a very small random sample of the Austin population) in opposition fail to realize that the speutered cats will maintain their territory, not put out the welcome mat to new potential colony mates. Mass euthanization of feral colonies does not eliminate the problem, it only eliminates those particular cats. More will move in to take their place which does not happen when speutered cats defend their territory. They also don't seem to realize their tax dollars are already paying for the actions of irresponsible pets owners. If this program had been implemented 20 years ago imagine the potential uses for the taxes that have already been spent to kill unwanted animals. Spay/neuter is a long-term solution to a long standing problem for feral cats as well as family pets. This is the thread: Austin American Statesman Sunday, August 20, 2006, 10:11 PM Do you support the increased sterilization and microchipping of pets? Would you pay higher taxes for the project? Sat, 16 Dec 2006 14:16:22 +0200 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=21 By: News 8 Austin Staff 1/18/2004 Unspayed female animals can reproduce at astonishing rates. The numbers are overwhelming -- one female cat is capable of producing more than 11,000 kittens over the course of five years. To combat this epidemic, a group of residents have teamed up with members of the animal welfare community to launch Spay Austin. To wrap up the month-long awareness campaign organizers will hold a Pet Festival on Jan. 31 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Cantu-Pan American Recreation Center on East Third Street. News 8 Austin's Jitin Hingorani spoke with Natasha Rosofsky, an organizer with the Spay Austin campaign. Q: There have always been stray cats around town. Why are you launching this campaign now? A: The short answer is that there are too many pets and not enough homes in Austin and we're trying to raise awareness in the community, not just about the population problem, but the solution to the problem. And that solution really centers around spaying or neutering your pets. Q: How does the program work? Fri, 15 Dec 2006 12:36:08 +0200 http://www.spayaustin.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=19 Hello everyone, I think I've finally found a mapping program that's easy enough for everyone to use. Each trapper can input their own colonies AND there is a category for trappers. So, no more trapping in Lakeway if you live in Manchaca or vice-versa. This way when the Spay Austin Coalition is notified of a new colony, all we have to do is go to the map and find a trapper near that location. There are some known issues I need to work out and it will take a few dozen hours to straighten them out: Tue, 12 Dec 2006 21:06:21 +0200