Justice, TNR, and Not-So-Crazy Cat Ladies with Esmerelda Alvarez, TNR Advocate

“I think the best way to rescue the most cats is through TNR.” This episode is sponsored in part by Doobert and Maddie's Fund. Meet Esmeralda Alvarez, a TNR advocate and cat foster who performs TNR on a weekly basis. Her efforts began back in 2015, and she strongly believes that TNR is a social justice issue. In her conversation with Stacy, she discusses the importance of TNR and explains how its performance saves future generations of cats. Esmerelda also discusses the many difficult choices that trappers encounter, such as deciding whether to return or keep a trapped cat. She encourages trappers to make these decisions based on what is ultimately best for the cat. “I always tell people just listen to what the cat has to say and try to the best of your ability to remove your personal feelings . . . [and] to prioritize them over your feelings.” Additionally, Esmerelda touches on her participation in the recent film “Crazy Cat Lady”, which is a documentary that focuses on the feral cat crisis in Los Angeles and the dedicated (though often mischaracterized) volunteers who are on the front line. To learn more about Esmerelda and how to get involved in TNR, visit her Instagram or TikTok. To learn more about the documentary “Crazy Cat Lady”, visit their website or Instagram. If you enjoyed this episode, you might also be interested in listening to Stacy's interview with Tina Traster, an award-winning filmmaker, writer, and documentarian of “Catnip Nation”, in episode 186.