March 31, 2020

Audience: Executive Leadership, Shelter/Rescue Staff & Volunteers, Veterinary Team

Organization: Metro Denver CAT
Investigator(s): Anna Murrin
Grant Amount: $25,000.00
Project Type: Phase 2
Project Status: Research In Progress

Project Summary

The goal of this project from Metro Denver CAT is to provide every resident of Denver's high-need neighborhood of Elyria Swansea/Globeville with access to the resources they need to care for owned and free-roaming community cats. A portion of the research's funding will support the trap-neuter-return program, as well as a pre-and post-project survey to measure the residents' perception about cats in their community which will be used to create a template of key indicators and methods for other organizations designing programs for cats in their communities.

December 31, 2019

Audience: Executive Leadership, Foster Caregivers, Public, Shelter/Rescue Staff & Volunteers, Veterinary Team

Organization: Metro Denver C.A.T.
Investigator(s): Anna Murrin
Grant Amount: $25,000.00
Project Type: Phase 2
Project Status: Research Complete

Project Summary

This Metro Denver C.A.T. project aimed to remove barriers facing residents needing help for cats in Denver, CO, through use of a pop-up community program. The model proved agile, easily transportable and replicable. The cumulative data collected in the Elyria Swansea neighborhood, when compared with data from their previous pilot project in Southwest Denver, allows for a set of indicators that can be used to identify high-need neighborhoods.

Objective(s)

The objective of the project was: to expand the Metro Denver C.A.T. program model to a new focus neighborhood, particularly one that has been disconnected from services for animals.

Methods

Based around five central ideas (Access, Saturation, Customization, Efficiency and Flexibility), pilot pop-up programs were set up in four neighborhoods being served simultaneously. Access included bilingual staff and materials, free clinic transportation, pre and post-surgery recovery space for cats and free necessary supplies. Outreach was conducted door-to-door to 41,000 addresses, as well through targeted home-visits, postcard mailers, and tabling at community events.

Solutions were customized for each cat and caregiver. Compared to traditional TNR methods, the project developed innovative methods that helped a high volume of cats quickly, such as daytime trapping at multiple locations simultaneously. Response from a specific market was tested through the pop-up model.

Results

  • Target neighborhood relocated to Elyria Swansea with minimal cost, buildout and customization for the space due to the nature of being a pop-up program
  • In a pre-project survey, 78% respondents indicated owned cats were receiving good care, 20% of residents were angry about outdoor cats, and 20% residents were seeing kittens outdoors within the last year
  • In a post-project survey, 97% respondents indicated owned cats were receiving good care, 3% of residents were angry about outdoor cats and 3% of residents were seeing kittens outdoors within the last year
  • Achieved goal of serving 500 cats in Elyria Swansea, but identifying cats in need required approximately 300% the amount of community outreach compared to Southwest Denver
  • Key demographic differences emerged as indicators to account for difference in number of cats in need identified in these neighborhoods, including population density, total population, land area and percentage of renters.

Conclusions

The pop-up model proved agile, easily transportable and replicable. The processes to identify new program areas and implement TNR is scalable and replicable. Findings will be shared with other organizations that are seeking high-impact solutions for cat issues in their communities.