In 2010 a judge put an injunction in place that prevented the city shelters in Los Angeles from not only performing any trap, neuter, return (TNR) but also barred them from talking about it with the public. The injunction was a result of a lawsuit filed by a group of people who were concerned about the impact community cats were having on wildlife.

Since TNR is the only humane method of effectively reducing community cat populations, the injunction only served to worsen the problem it sought to address. But this week, in a unanimous vote, the L.A. City Council approved a 716-page report that is a big step towards making TNR an official policy of Los Angeles Animal Services.

A lot of work lies ahead, but we should take a moment and celebrate the opportunity that now exists for both the cats - and wildlife - of the City of Los Angeles.