The Directorate of Environment and Animal Welfare of the City Council of Mérida, headed by Raúl Escalante Aguilar, has launched a new program called Capture, Sterilize, and Release (CEL, for Captura, Esteriliza y Libera), to control the overpopulation of cats in various colonies of the city.
He explained that the program, implemented for the first time in the current administration, focuses on areas where the problem of stray felines is particularly serious. Through CEL, we seek to reduce the number of cats through a process of capture, sterilization, and release in the same colonies where they were trapped.
“The process begins with the training of residents of the neighborhoods in which overpopulation is detected, who actively collaborate with the Environment Directorate team. To carry out the capture of the felines, 40 special cages are used, provided by the program. Once the cats are captured, the Esterimóvil performs the sterilization the next day,” explained the manager.
Escalante Aguilar points out that each feline is subjected to a care protocol to ensure its well-being before being released. This protocol includes health testing to determine if the cats are suitable to return to the neighborhood or if they show signs of aggression or illness.
“Those who cannot be released because they are sick or aggressive are transferred to the animal control management unit, where they undergo a more exhaustive evaluation,” he noted.
Recently, the program was implemented in two areas: the Chichén neighborhood and the Molas police station. In both locations, approximately 60 cats were sterilized and released in each. Escalante Aguilar highlighted the collaboration of the local community, which has been essential for the success of the captures.
“The problem of cat overpopulation also affects other areas of Mérida, such as Yucalpetén, Ciudad Caucel, and some downtown neighborhoods, such as Paseo de Montejo. This situation is due in part to the presence of restaurants in the area, which, by generating poorly managed waste, provide food to cats. Here the neighbors have requested the intervention of the program to control the feline population,” he pointed out.
The animal management protocol also includes the evaluation of the health of the felines, with a special focus on zoonotic diseases that can be transmitted to humans. In cases where cats have serious diseases, a responsible euthanasia process is followed, to avoid risks to public health.
TYT Newsroom
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