The tragic rabies event that occurred on April 12, 2025 in Town & Country, illustrates one of the terrible consequences of abandoning unvaccinated pets. Cats are often left behind when families move away and revert to a feral state to survive.
To keep these cats and the community safe, HSTB offers Trap/Neuter/Vaccinate/Return (TNVR), a service that sterilizes feral cats and vaccinates them against rabies and distemper, two deadly and highly contagious diseases. All TNVR’d cats are vaccinated and can be identified by a tipped ear (see photos below). The rabid cat in the recent incident was NOT eartipped and not vaccinated against the fatal illness.
What to do if you see a stray cat:
- If you are caring for cats with tipped ears in your neighborhoods, please do not stop, they have been vaccinated!
- You should never approach any animal that you don’t know.
- Feral cats are typically shy and will not approach a human.
- If a feral cat approaches you, it may be sick or injured. In this case, please leave the cat alone and call your local Animal Control Department.
- If there are feral cats in your area that do not have tipped ears, HSTB can lend you a trap and provide assistance with trapping.
- TNVR services are offered every Monday at the HSTB Animal Hospital (3809 N Armenia Ave in Tampa). Call 813-625-0910 or click the link below for more information or to schedule TNVR service.
