Return to Field with Neighborhood Cats, Part 1, Featuring Bryan Kortis, National Programs Director at Neighborhood Cats

"Euthanasia is a dead-end policy. We've tried it for decades and the cats are still here."

This episode is sponsored-in-part by Maddie's Fund.

In Part 1 of this informative workshop replay, Bryan Kortis and Susan Richmond of Neighborhood Cats dive into the effective approach of Return to Field (RTF), reshaping how shelters manage community cats. As a key evolution of Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), RTF empowers shelters to sterilize, vaccinate, and return healthy, unowned cats to their territories rather than euthanizing them. Bryan traces the roots of the movement back to Jacksonville, Florida, where an experimental collaboration between a spay/neuter clinic and the city shelter resulted in a 90% reduction in euthanasia. You'll discover how RTF improves shelter morale, increases public support, and significantly lowers intake over time. With deep experience in fieldwork and policy, Bryan and Susan bring practical wisdom and data-backed insights into why this method is saving lives—and reshaping entire communities.

Press Play Now For:

• The critical difference between RTF and traditional TNR
• How Jacksonville became a national model for RTF success
• Proof that RTF leads to lower euthanasia and intake rates
• Why euthanizing cats fails to control populations long-term
• The "vacuum effect" explained—why removed cats are quickly replaced
• How RTF changes shelter culture and staff wellbeing

Resources Mentioned:

• Neighborhood Cats (https://www.neighborhoodcats.org/)
• Return to Field Handbook (https://humanepro.org/return-to-field)

Sponsor Links:

• Maddie's Fund (https://www.communitycatspodcast.com/maddies639)

Follow & Review

We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-community-cats-podcast/id1125752101?mt=2). Select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then share a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.