An animal rescue in Washington, D.C., is putting feral cats to work instead of euthanizing them.
The D.C. Humane Rescue Alliance is placing the cats that have few chances of being adopted at properties that have rat issues. The cats are provided with food, water, and shelter in exchange for their help keeping the pests away, according to the organization.
“In Washington D.C., these are cats that are already previously living outside. In fact, we are decreasing the risk to the animal populations by giving them a dedicated caretaker,” Lauren Lipsey, vice president of community programs with D.C.’s Humane Rescue Alliance, told WUSA9.
She said some of the felines might get attached to their human caregivers over time, but most have remained outside.
The program has placed 300 cats with caregivers across the city in the past three years.
City Bikes mechanic Mark Winstead said the business took in a feral cat three years ago, and the shop has been rat-free ever since.
“We live in a restaurant-heavy area, and we went from essentially being overrun to no rodents in the space of a few days,” he said.
Residents made more than 6,000 complaints about rats to city officials last year.
