Second in Arizona size to only Phoenix; Tucson has about half a million people and is located in the southern part of the state, 135 miles southeast of Pheonix. Tucson is surrounded by four major suburbs including Oro Valley and Marana, which are northwest of the city, and South Tucson and Sahuarita, which are to the south. Tucson is considered the longest inhabited area in the United States because archaeologists believe that it was originally the home of the Hohokam Indians back around 7000 BC. Today, Tucson is a great destination for people with arthritis and respiratory illnesses due to the very hot and arid climate. Another major attraction for tourists, is the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show. It is held every February and is one of the largest fine gem and mineral shows in the world, lasting an entire 3 weeks. Tucson is also rich in museums, art collections, performing arts centers, and sports centers. We also service the towns of Ajo, Cortaro, Sahuarita and also animal control in Mount Lemmon, Topawa, Vail and pest control in Oro Valley, Marana and wild animal services in Sells, Saddlebrooke, Green Valley and wildlife management in Rillito, Arivaca, Lukeville, Catalina.
 

Feral cats: big problem in Tucson
The metro area may have 100,000 untamed cats. Trap-neuter-return efforts counter overpopulation.

When Lizzy Twistine found two feral cats skirting her workplace in spring 2004, she did what more and more people in Tucson are doing: She caught them, got them "fixed" and returned them to where she caught them. "The little cats had been thrown away like trash," Twistine said. "It's heart-wrenching."

Metro Tucson has 100,000 feral cats, one shelter director estimated, though the numbers are difficult to quantify. That's one feral cat for every nine residents. Considering that in a year, a cat can have three litters of up to six kittens each, feral cats can be a major annoyance in a neighborhood and a lethal threat to pet cats. Free-roaming cats are more likely than indoor cats to carry rabies, because they prey on bats that may be infected, as well as other diseases, such as feline leukemia. Those diseases can be passed to pet cats.

Plus, Fluffy likely would be no match for an unfixed tomcat in a fight. Feral cats also are notorious for, among other things, urinating on and otherwise marking people's property. They can destroy gardens and kids' sandboxes by using them as outdoor litter boxes. And Wildlife and ornithology organizations believe these stealthy predators decimate bird populations. Pima County animal control says it will continue to help with domestic animal issues, but not with Arizona wildlife problems.

As co-owner of Animal Dudes Wildlife Rescue and Trapping Services, Flick Drummond says he most often chases feral cats around downtown and the Northwest Side. Last week, Drummond removed 50 feral cats from neighborhoods, back yards and streets at customer's requests.

Most of the felines he captures are euthanized at the client's request, although a few each month are trapped, neutered and returned. "It's a shame people don't take care of their pets," said Drummond, who has worked at Pima Animal Care Center for 22 years. Like Twistine, many people in Tucson are trying the trap-neuter-return method to control feral cat populations. But the Humane Society of Southern Arizona reduced its TNR program in April after slightly more than a year because it was overwhelmed with demand. The society still provides traps and training in how to use them, if you want to trap a feral cat and get it spayed or neutered elsewhere. But it does not accept feral cats. Pima County animal services in Tucson, Arizona, declined to comment on the matter.