AN ORDINANCE CREATING SECTION 6.04.030 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF WICHITA, KANSAS, PERTAINING TO ABANDONED CATS. Animal Advisory Board March 26, 2019
Background • What is TNR? T rap- Neuter - R eturn • TNR is a method of reducing outdoor cat populations by capturing them, providing spay/neuter services, and returning them to their environment.
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Background • A TNR Committee was developed in 2015 by the Animal Advisory Board to look into developing a standard within the City. • A December 2017 community survey found: • 20.63% of respondents felt that feral cats were a nuisance in their neighborhood. • 64.41% of respondents felt that the City should take an active role in assisting neighborhoods with this issue. • 48.56% felt that the most pressing issue for Animal Control was to reduce the euthanasia rate at the shelter.
Background • The committee put together a proposed ordinance and presented it to the Animal Advisory Board in April 2018. The committee presented a draft ordinance to the Board. The Board discussed this at several meetings and received significant public comment. A final draft ordinance was developed and provided to the Police Department. • The Police Department formed an internal committee to review the ordinance and ensure applicability and enforceability.
Purpose of Ordinance 6 “The City of Wichita recognizes the need for innovation in addressing the issues presented by feral, free-roaming cats. To that end, it recognizes that a trap neuter-return (TNR) program is a viable option to manage and, over time, reduce the population of community cats; thus, reducing the number of cats entering the shelter system and being euthanized. The program relies upon volunteer caregivers to trap free-roaming cats to be spayed/neutered/vaccinated for rabies/ear-tipped, and then returned to the location where the cats were originally trapped, with the property owner’s permission, or to an alternate location. ”
Ordinance Highlights • Creation of TNR ordinance to address the over population of cats. • Create definition of Feral and Community cats and other specific subject matter terms, i.e.: • Feral Cat…..one that is unsocialized to humans and has a temperament of extreme fear of and resistance to contact with humans. • Community Cat…..means any ear -tipped feral cat that may be cared for by a designated caregiver in the immediate area: community cats are not domesticated. • Caregiver guidelines for feeding, watering and care.
Ordinance Highlights • Mandated registration of cat colonies • Annual reporting requirements • Applicable enforcement by Animal Services if warranted
Benefits of Ordinance Changes • Community-centric approach to solving the issue as opposed to government focused. • Reduction of intake numbers of cats at the shelter with an ultimate goal of reducing euthanasia in regards to cats. The current reduction is 25%; a significant decrease from 66% in 2013.
10 Recommendation • Place the ordinance on first reading and authorize the necessary signatures. • Questions?
AN ORDINANCE CREATING SECTION 6.04.030 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF WICHITA, KANSAS, PERTAINING TO ABANDONED CATS .
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