A new effort is underway in Rockland to help reduce the number of feral cats in the county.

While Rockland Green's Animal Shelter on Ecology Road may not be complete for another year, its mission is already underway.

"I think it's important for the residents of Rockland to understand that Rockland Green is committed to animal management," said Gerald Damiani, executive director of Rockland Green.

Damiani spoke with News 12 during their first Trap Neuter Vaccinate Release event, also known as TNVR, which aims to reduce the number of feral cats in Rockland.

Animal advocates say the population growth has been an issue for years.

"Finally, now that Rockland Green has taken over animal management in Rockland they are addressing the situation head-on," said Nixie Gueits, with Four Legs Good, an organization that has focused on the welfare of area ferals for years.

They're working with Rockland Green to trap these felines and managed to get about 50 from throughout the county in the days leading up to this. Two cats actually gave birth to kittens while in their care.

The Animal Rights Alliance, or TARA, is spaying, neutering, vaccinating and marking the felines to show it has been sterilized.

There will be three more of these events this year.

Rockland green will pay $70, and trappers will pay $10 to the alliance per cat.

The program may pay off down the road because its goal is to have fewer cats surrendered or abandoned.

"It should reduce the overall cost of operating a shelter because you won't have that abundance of animals being turned into the shelter," said Damiani.

Rockland Green's TNVR program also plans to map where these feral cat colonies are.