Miami’s Animal Shelter Manager honored for her work with feral cat population

MIAMI, Okla. – A Miami animal ordinance geared toward reducing the community’s feral cat population is gaining nationwide attention.

“We’re already seeing a difference in the overall feral cat population,” said Maycee Goza, Animal Control manager, referring to the Trap/Neuter/Return program.

“Our cat intake is almost nonexistent; we went from an average of 200 to 300 cats a year to only 25 to 30 this year.”

Goza said the city’s animal ordinance is constantly reviewed for effectiveness as new practices are implemented.

“I enjoy helping people and assisting other communities, sharing ideas and finding something that works,” Goza said, “I get asked for our ordinances all the time. They really like what we’re doing in Miami. I know the city is catching a lot of momentum, and our shelter has a lot of momentum as well. We’re definitely on the right path.”

Goza’s work garnished the attention of the Best Friends Animal Society, one of the nation’s largest non-profit sanctuary organizations for homeless animals. The goal is to engage shelters across Oklahoma to work together to evaluate needs, find solutions, share ideas, and bring every shelter to a “No Kill” status by the end of 2025, said Melinda Stotts, city spokeswoman.

The organization provides pet services such as spay/neuter clinics, and educational programs.

Goza was selected as a district captain because of her impactful work as a mentor, problem solver and ability to create connections, said Melinda Stotts, city spokeswoman. Her duties will be strengthening relationships with shelters in northeast Oklahoma and establishing networking alliances, she said.

The group awarded a $6,500 grant to the Miami shelter.

Stotts said $5,000 of the grant is earmarked for lifesaving efforts in the community and the remainder for project support.

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