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Miami-Dade Animal Services Will Pay You To Help Control 'Outdoor Cat' Population

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Got too many 'community' cats running around in your neighborhood? Now, Miami-Dade County Animal Services could use your help and you could make some money in the process.

Animal Services officials have just announced a new initiative to help humanely manage the outdoor cat population in the county.

The 'Tip the Trapper' initiative marks the first time a monetary incentive will be provided to cat trappers who bring in community cats to animal services to be vaccinated, sterilized and ear-tipped.

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

Want to make $15 per cat? All you will have to do is bring the felines to the Pet Adoption and Protection Center for services.

Officials say once the cats have been medically cleared for release, trappers must pick them up and return them back to the location where the cats were trapped.

Also, cats must weigh at least three pounds to qualify.

These are the guidelines to follow:
• All cats must be treated humanely, with dignity and respect.
• The Tip the Trapper initiative is only available to Miami-Dade County residents and only Miami-Dade County cats are eligible.
• Trapper shall trap and transport the cats to ASD's Pet Protection and Adoption Center at 3599 N.W. 79th Avenue, Doral, FL 33122
• 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 services, if in the best interest of the cat.
• 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.

Need more info? You can contact Michael Leiva at (305) 418-7171.

This program is only open to Miami-Dade residents for Miami-Dade County cats.

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