If you think your town's got problems — bad potholes, unresponsive city government, a bit of crime — just be thankful you can walk outside without stepping on thousands of cats:
Feral cats are big problem in Sioux Falls, bigger than you might think.
Some estimate there are at least 32,000 stray cats walking the streets.
Tuesday night the Sioux Falls City Council will take up an ordinance that many believe will help reduce that number.
Yes, 32,000 cats in a small town in South Dakota. It's evidently so bad that it's not at all hard for local news stations to go out and videotape stray cats for B-roll:
Folks are hoping that an ambitious program of TNR — trap, neuter, release — will help bring down the stray population, with local advocate Mat Touga helping lead the effort:
Tougas is the one asking the city council to approve an ordinance that will allow his organization to legally catch feral cats and get them neutered and released back into the community.
"So if we are allowed to do this properly, like the ordinance says, we will see a reduction in numbers," Tougas said.
Getting prepped to go out and capture and neuter 32,000 feral cats like:
The local humane shelter is enthusiastically backing this effort: "This year it has had to put down over 400 cats, and obviously that's something it doesn't like to do."
Good luck, Sioux Falls! Don't be shy about activating the National Guard if you need to!
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