Alley Cat Allies and the Animal Rescue League of Iowa (ARL) concluded a two-day initiative on Tuesday and Wednesday, providing no-cost veterinary care and cat food to the Des Moines area, according to a statement released by Alley Cat Allies on Instagram February 10, 2026.
The effort included spay and neuter services, rabies and FVRCP vaccinations, microchipping, and general wellness checks for cats, with over 75 cats registered for the vaccine and wellness clinic alone. All clinic fees were covered by Alley Cat Allies through its Keeping Families Together™ program. The initiative also distributed 26,000 pounds of cat food at no cost to the community, part of a larger effort that has seen Alley Cat Allies donate thousands of pounds of cat and dog food and cat litter across the United States.
The program focused on both indoor cats and community cats – unowned cats living outdoors – utilizing Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) methods. TNR involves humanely trapping cats, providing veterinary care including spaying or neutering, vaccination, eartipping, and microchipping, and then returning them to their original outdoor locations. Alley Cat Allies describes TNR as the only humane and effective approach to managing community cat populations.
A food distribution event took place on October 25, 2023, at the ARL facility, where food was loaded directly into a car line. In total, Alley Cat Allies planned to distribute over 13 tons of cat food in Des Moines during October through these events, according to Veterinary Practice News.
The collaboration between Alley Cat Allies and the ARL began in November 2023, with initial efforts focused on providing food, vaccines, and TNR services. Alley Cat Allies is covering all costs through its Cats Are Family, Too™—Keeping Families Together™ program, as stated in a LinkedIn post from November 2023.
