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Group Aims To Spay, Neuter Stray Cat Population In South LA

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A new effort was underway Monday to reduce a growing number of wild cats on the streets of South Los Angeles.

KNX 1070's Vytas Safronikas reports a local non-profit group wants to use private funds to cut down on what it says is just another symptom of America's economic ails.

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Private grant money will be used to to trap and neuter, or spay, as many as 7,000 of the area's estimated 12,000 wild cats.

The Stray Cat Alliance plans to start with the 90037 zip code, south of USC and Exposition Park.

"Any area that's low socioeconomic, where people are having hard times, and now people are having even harder times with the national crisis, animals are last on people's agenda," said Christi Metropole, founder of Stray Cat Alliance.

More pets are being abandoned as households struggle to meet their financial responsibilities. The city's Animal Services Department said, with budgets at near-capacity, most animals are brought to shelters, and euthanized.

It's a major undertaking that Christi said will require the help of the community.

"We need lots and lots of volunteers, everyone's welcome," she said.

Supporters can donate to the effort by visiting the Stray Cat Alliance website.

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