STRAY TRACKER: How many strays in your area?
(KSNF & KODE) — As the years go by, the problem of excess stray cats and dogs continues to increase across the world, including the Four State region.
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Everyday somewhere in the Four States, dogs and cats are dumped and abandoned on the side of a local road, the faithful companions forever wondering why they were left behind by the people they thought would be their forever companions, some of them potentially never coming to the understanding that those that left them behind will never return.
While there is no question that most consider strays a very sad truth in the world, they can also pose a threat to the safety of the community depending on the circumstance. Too many strays of the same or similar breeds can often lead to destructive and/or territorial pack-like behavior, and strays are more prone to catching dangerous, spreadable diseases like rabies. Not to mention excess Strays can cause local populations to skyrocket at a faster rate than you might expect.
We've reached out to local officials to present you with a breakdown of the true numbers of stray animals in the Four State area:
BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. — Officials in Baxter Springs told us in 2024 alone they picked up 82 dogs, 52 strays with 25 dogs being surrendered by their owner.
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Carthage officials reveal in 2023 and 2024, 771 dogs and 464 cats were rounded up. They say of the combined total between dogs and cats, 300 animals were returned to owners.
COLUMBUS, Kan. — Columbus officials say they do not currently have a facility to process or house the stray cats of Columbus, but they budget for a TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release) program, in which the male cats are sought out, temporarily detained, and taken to a veterinarian who will then neuter the animal. After recovery, the animal is reintroduced to the outdoors. When it comes to the dogs of Columbus, officials say the combined total caught in 2023 and 2024 was 139 dogs.
JOPLIN, Mo. — Joplin officials tell us in 2023 and 2024; 2,167 dogs and 1,131 cats were picked up, with 806 dogs and 94 cats returned to owners during that time frame.
MIAMI, Ok. — Miami officials tell us in 2023 and 2024 combined; they picked up 386 stray cats and 341 stray dogs.
MONETT, Mo. — Officials in Monett tell us they do not pick up stray cats as per their city ordinance regarding them as feral. The city of Monett does pick up stray dogs and tell us their numbers for the last two years indicate they've picked up approx. 156 stray dogs. Out of these strays, 95 were adopted and 61 were sent to rescues.
NEVADA, Mo. — Nevada officials tell us in 2023 and 2024; 439 dogs and 176 cats were picked up, with 131 dogs and 7 cats returned to owners during that time frame. 271 dogs were adopted; 150 cats were adopted. 18 dogs were euthanized, while 3 cats were euthanized.
SARCOXIE, Mo. — Sarcoxie officials tell us they have picked up approximately 15 stray dogs over the past two years, as they only pick up canines that are deemed a danger to the public because they do not have a large pound to house the animals nor sufficient staffing for such task. Sarcoxie does not attempt to intervene with stray cats at this time.
We are still actively compiling stray dog and cat data from other local cities for our STRAY TRACKER. If you don't see your city listed yet; keep in mind, we will periodically update and post this article as new info comes in.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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