Animal Services is "tipping" cat trappers

The Tip the Trapper Initiative is part of Animal Services’ larger Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) program, in which any Miami-Dade resident who volunteer as community cat trappers with Animal Services Department’s Community Action Targeted Trapping Initiative (CATTI) program,  bring in outdoor cats to be vaccinated and sterilized for free, before returning the cats to their feline families. This is the first time, however, that trappers would be compensated for their efforts. Qualification requirements and retractions apply for the Tip the Trapper program.

“We rely on our volunteer trappers to bring in outdoor cats for our TNVR program,” said Alex Muñoz, Director of Miami-Dade Animal Services. “When a cat comes in to be vaccinated and sterilized, we ear-tip him or her. Now for the first time, we’re ‘tipping’ our trappers for their help.”

To be eligible for this incentive of $15 per cat, trappers must adhere to the following guidelines:

• All cats must be treated humanely, with dignity and respect
• Animal Services asks that trappers not bring in litters of newborn kittens. Cats must weigh at least three pounds to qualify
• The Tip the Trapper Initiative is only available to Miami-Dade County qualifying CATTI volunteers and only Miami-Dade County cats are eligible
• Trapper shall trap and transport the cats to ASD’s Pet Protection and Adoption Center or the Pets Thrive in 305 Community Cat Center in Cutler Bay
• Once services have been performed and the cats are medically cleared for release, the trapper must return the cats to the location where the cats were trapped 
• ASD reserves the right to reject TNVR services, if in the best interest of the cat
• TNVR services shall be solely and exclusively defined by ASD, which shall determine, at its sole discretion, trapper eligibility for the Tip the Trapper Initiative incentives
• The trapper shall not engage in malicious activities that may damage the reputation of ASD, its other rescue partners, employees or volunteers

For additional information on the Tip the Trapper Initiative, call 311.