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My interest in helping stray cats started when I adopted an injured cat two years ago. I kept feeding his friends but I also wanted to help them more. I learnt about Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), which reduces the population of stray cats in a specific area by making it impossible for them to reproduce while also getting them veterinary care.
I decided to design my Girl Scout Silver Award project to generate interest in establishing a Trap-Neuter-Return program in my housing complex. The idea for bringing TNR to my compound originally came to me when neighbors started complaining about the cats constantly fighting, digging through trash, spraying and reproducing. Then I learnt about a colony of cats at the American Embassy and found out the Embassy was moving soon so I got the AmbassadorĄ¯s permission to TNR the Embassy cats too. I raised the money I needed to take care of the cats by organizing a Pi (3.14) Day Pie Auction; my mom baked more than thirty pies!
It took me four attempts, six weeks, ten hours and many cans of tuna fish and cat food to trap seven cats. I had lots of surprises, including not being able to capture any cats the first time I tried because it was cold and raining. One of the first cats I trapped turned out to be a lactating female and had to be returned right away. The biggest surprise was that TWO of the cats immediately gave birth to a total of eight kittens. This suddenly increased my cat population to fifteen! A local veterinary hospital, the International Center for Veterinary Services (www.ICVSASIA.com) agreed to vaccinate, spay/neuter and take care of the cats. Mary Peng, the manager of ICVS also became my Girl Scout Silver Award project advisor; she lent me humane traps and taught me how to use them safely.
I am really lucky to have the support of many people, including USA Girl Scouts Overseas ¨C Beijing Committee, the American Embassy Beijing, ICVS, my school and my parents. Even though I have finished my Girl Scout Silver Award project I still work on my TNR program because I really believe it is the best way to help stray cats. Most strays are actually abandoned pets. So, if you have a pet, please do not abandon it when you move. If you are looking for a pet, please adopt or rescue, donĄ¯t breed or buy! Always spay or neuter your pets. Think about starting a TNR program in your own neighborhood.
Bio Note:Joi has been named a first-place winner of the 2008 Clements International Foreign Service Youth Community Service Award for her groundbreaking TNR project and will receive this award during a ceremony at the United States Department of State in Washington, D.C. this summer. At age thirteen, Joi is the youngest person to receive this honour. She is a student at the Western Academy Beijing and has been a Girl Scout since kindergarten, earning both the Bronze and Silver Awards.
c. 2008, Lucinda-Joi E. Chu-Ketterer