(A) The City of Hamtramck: recognizes that a process of trapping, sterilizing, vaccinating for rabies, ear tipping, and returning cats to their original location is an effective and humane way to manage the population of community cats within the city; has determined that this process, known as TNVR, is the preferred approach for managing the cat population; and will encourage community organizations in TNVR efforts.
(B) The city establishes the following community cat requirements:
(1) Community cats may be cared for and fed on the private property of the caregiver, upon the property of another with the permission of the owner or property manager, or in public alleys/public parking lots in the presence of the caregiver.
(2) Caregivers of community cats must abide by § 90.024.
(C) The Police Chief or their designee shall have the right to remove or authorize the removal of any free-roaming cat or community cat because of immediate public health or safety concerns. The Police Chief or their designee shall comply with Fourth Amendment warrant requirement for any removal occurring on private property unless constitutionally cognizable exigent circumstances exist that would require immediate action in furtherance of the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
(D) Healthy community cats that have been trapped by a designated caretaker in accordance with this section, shall not be considered nor be impounded. Healthy community cats shall be immediately returned to the location at which they were found, released to a caregiver, or adopted. Prior to being returned to the location at which they were found or released to a caregiver, community cats shall be sterilized, ear tipped while under anesthesia by a licensed veterinarian, and vaccinated. Under the care of a veterinarian, when a cat is visibly injured or diseased and appears to be suffering and it reasonably appears that such cat cannot be expeditiously cured and returned to the field, it may be humanely euthanized.
(Ord., passed 11-22-2022) Penalty, see § 90.999