Nevada Legislature: Bill would allow no-kill programs to rein in cat colonies

Cat lovers and bird lovers are taking opposite sides on a Nevada bill that would allow local governments to adopt no-kill programs to reduce the feral cat population.

The Assembly Government Affairs Committee held a hearing Monday for AB261, a bill that would allow counties to create programs to catch feral cats, neuter and vaccinate them and release them back into the wild.

It’s sponsored by Democratic Assemblyman James Ohrenschall.

Proponents at the Nevada Humane Society say trapping, neutering and releasing cats is cheaper and more effective than the traditional method of trapping and euthanizing them. He says the public is largely opposed to trap-and-kill methods.

Wildlife conservation groups opposed the bill, pointing out that cats are a major threat to endangered birds, and releasing them only perpetuates the killing.