THE HUMANE SOCIETY PRESS ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF NEW BOOK ON FERAL CATS
 Book Explores Creative Ways To Deal With Cat Colonies In Communities

 WASHINGTON (July 29, 2002) -The Humane Society Press, the publishing division of The Humane Society of the United States (The HSUS), is pleased to announce the release of a new book, "Community Approaches to
 Feral Cats: Problems, Alternatives, and Recommendations," by author Margaret R. Slater. The book is written for residential, corporate, university and other communities that all share one problem: colonies of feral cats living among them. Slater looks at cooperative measures between animal care and control professionals and local residents to manage feral cat populations, creative strategies that are proving successful in several communities. The book is the latest release in The Humane Society Press' public policy series.

 "Community Approaches to Feral Cats," provides much needed guidance to a wide-range of communities around the country. Feral cat colonies take up residence in many places including business parks, college campuses, recreational parks and neighborhoods. "This publication is perfect for anyone who is looking for a compassionate and proactive approach to this problem," said Deborah J. Salem, director and editor-in-chief of Humane Society Press. "We are happy to present a book that addresses an issue not widely publicized. We know there is a real need out there for direction on how to deal with feral cat colonies. We believe this book fills that need."

 In the book, Slater discusses effective options that can satisfy all interested parties in the community. "This approach promotes finding common ground among property owners, health officials, animal care and control agencies and caretakers of the cats," said Martha C. Armstrong, HSUS Senior Vice President for Companion Animals and Equine Protection, who wrote the foreword for the book. "When feral cat colonies are actively managed, feral felines are spayed or neutered, while the kittens are removed from the colony to give them a chance to be socialized and adopted out," she said.

 The author, Margaret R. Slater, is an associate professor of epidemiology in the departments of Veterinary Anatomy and Public Health and Small Medicine and Surgery in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University. Staff and consultants of The Humane Society of the United States contributed to the book. The HSUS is the nation's largest animal protection organization with more than seven million members and constituents.

 Community Approaches to Feral Cats: Problems, Alternatives, & Recommendations 130 pages, Soft cover ISBN 0-9658942-5-8 $22.50

 Books can be purchased for $22.50 plus $3.00 for shipping and handling from Humane Society Press, 2100 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037. Wholesalers and retailers contact Deborah J. Salem, HSP, 700 Professional Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20879, or fax 301-258-3082. The title is available online at www.hsus.org/ace/14631.


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 Contact: Karen L. Allanach: (301) 548-7778 or Rachel Querry: (301) 258-8255