Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League is proud to announce the success of its April Spay Day, a powerful new regional initiative that expanded beyond Palm Beach County to unite animal welfare partners across South Florida in a coordinated effort to reduce community cat overpopulation ahead of peak kitten season.

On Saturday, April 18, Peggy Adams hosted its high-volume Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) event in West Palm Beach, where 401 community cats in Palm Beach County were spayed and neutered in a single day. Through collaboration with partner organizations in Broward, Collier, and Miami-Dade counties, an additional 412 community cats were sterilized, bringing the regional one-day total to 813 cats.

Participating partners included the Humane Society of Broward County, Broward County Animal Care, Collier County Domestic Animal Services, Miami-Dade Animal Services, and Street Cat Clinic. This expanded regional effort marks an important milestone in South Florida’s collective response to community cat overpopulation, preventing thousands of kittens from being born outdoors and reducing the seasonal strain on shelters and rescue organizations throughout the region.

The Spay Day focused on TNVR, the most humane and effective approach to managing outdoor cat populations. Through this program, community cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and returned to their outdoor homes, where they can live healthy lives without contributing to overpopulation.

The lifesaving work at Peggy Adams was made possible through the dedication of more than 150 volunteers, veterinary professionals, and support staff, along with hundreds of community members who humanely trapped and transported cats from neighborhoods across Palm Beach County. A special thanks goes to the Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida, whose instructors and student doctors traveled to support the event and performed high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter surgeries. Peggy Adams also extends heartfelt gratitude to the generous sponsors and partners who helped make the day possible: Ardath Rosengarden for sponsoring April Spay Day, IDEXX for providing breakfast for the team, Veterinary Emergency Group for sponsoring staff lunch, and Merck Animal Health for donating 625 doses of FVRCP vaccine for community cats.

Following the success of this inaugural regional initiative, Peggy Adams hopes to continue building partnerships that extend the impact of Spay Day across South Florida. The next Spay Day hosted by Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League is scheduled for August 15, and community members are encouraged to save the date and participate.

In addition to Spay Day events, Peggy Adams offers TNVR appointments year-round, Monday through Friday. Caregivers may reserve up to five cats per day (with a maximum of ten per week). To learn more or schedule TNVR services, visit peggyadams.org/TNVR.

Why Does TNVR Work?

Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return is supported by both research and local law. Palm Beach County Ordinance 98-22 allows TNVR and outlines specific requirements for community cats, including spay/neuter surgery, rabies vaccination, microchipping, and ear-tipping to clearly identify cats who have been sterilized.

Community cats cannot simply be relocated. Cats will often travel miles to return to their original territories, putting them at risk for traffic accidents and other dangers. When cats are removed entirely, new cats quickly move into the vacant space — a phenomenon known as the “Vacuum Effect.” These new cats then reproduce, restarting the cycle of overpopulation.

TNVR stops the cycle. By sterilizing and returning cats to their established territories, populations naturally decline over time. TNVR also reduces nuisance behaviors such as fighting, spraying, and roaming, while improving public health through vaccination.

Whether someone loves or loathes community cats, TNVR is the proven solution for humanely and effectively reducing outdoor cat populations. By supporting TNVR at Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League, community members become part of the solution to the overpopulation crisis and help reduce the burden on overcrowded shelters and rescue groups.