Community Cat Program

The Darlington County Humane Society Community Cat Program is a collaborative initiative designed to humanely and effectively reduce Darlington County’s community cat population while improving the health and welfare of free-roaming cats.

Through the Best Friends Animal Society Shelter Collaborative Program and No Kill South Carolina, Darlington County Humane Society partners with Charleston Animal Society, the Florence Area Community Cat Program, and MSPCA-Angell to bring TVAR (Trap-Vaccinate-Alter-Return to Home) to Darlington County.

This proven approach helps stabilize community cat colonies, reduces nuisance behaviors, and prevents future litters—saving lives and conserving shelter resources.

Contact Information

For more information, please contact the DCHS Community Cat Program Coordinator
Call: 980-277-0704
Email: CommunityCats@darlingtonhumane.org

Trap-Vaccinate-Alter-Return to Home (TVAR)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a community cat?

A community cat, also known as a free-roaming cat, is any cat that lives outdoors or spends most of its time outside. Most community cats live in small groups called colonies, typically made up of three to five cats.

What is TVAR, and how does it reduce the cat population?

TVAR (Trap-Vaccinate-Alter-Return to Home)—sometimes referred to as TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) or SNR (Stray-Neuter-Return)—is a humane and effective population-reduction strategy.

Community cats are:

  • Humanely trapped

  • Vaccinated and spayed or neutered

  • Returned to the outdoor location where they were originally found

Cats are not housed in the shelter, which reduces stress on the animals and frees shelter space. By sterilizing cats at a high volume before they can reproduce, TVAR gradually and sustainably reduces the community cat population.

Is TVAR a common and accepted practice?

Yes. The South Carolina Animal Care and Control Association (SCACCA) fully supports the National Animal Care and Control Association (NACA) position on community cats, which states:

“It is the position of NACA that indiscriminate pick up or admission of healthy, free-roaming cats, regardless of temperament, for any purpose other than TNR/SNR [TVAR], fails to serve commonly held goals of community animal management and protection programs and, as such, is a misuse of time and public funds and should be avoided.”

TVAR is encouraged by the American Veterinary Medical Association and is considered a best practice by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians, American Association of Feline Practitioners, Humane Society of the United States, ASPCA, and Best Friends Animal Society.

As of 2023, 29 of South Carolina’s 46 counties have implemented a TVAR program.