(a) Statement of Purpose. This chapter is intended to provide for the proper and humane management of feral and stray cats in order to avoid, inter alia, breeding of wild and stray cats, the transmission of infectious diseases, and to preserve native wildlife species populations from excessive hunting by feral and stray cats via the management of same through the use of a TNR program.
(b) Feral Cat Colonies. When a Feral Cat Colony is found to exist, a person may via compliance with this chapter maintain and care for the feral cats by providing food, water, shelter and other forms of sustenance, provided that the person registers the Feral Cat Colony under sponsorship with a City registered Animal Welfare Organization.
(c) Feral Cat Colony Caretakers shall be responsible for the following:
(1) Registering the colony with an Animal Welfare Organization pursuant to Section 505.01(p).
(2) Obtaining the written approval of the owner of any property, or any authorized representative of the owner, to which the Feral Cat Colony Caretaker requires access to provide colony care.
(3) Providing food and water for colony cats in accordance with a regulated schedule that encourages dependence within the colony.
(4) Obtaining proper medical attention for any colony cat that appears to require it.
(5) Taking all appropriate and available steps to have the colony population spayed or neutered by a licensed veterinarian.
(6) Taking all appropriate and available steps to vaccinate the colony population for rabies, preferably with a three-year vaccine, and to make a reasonable attempt to update the vaccinations as warranted and mandated by law.
(7) Ear-tipping the left ear of a colony cat that has been vaccinated and spayed or neutered so that colony cats can be readily identified.
(8) Taking all reasonable steps to (1) remove kittens from the colony after they have been weaned, (2) place the kittens in homes, foster homes, or reputable adoption organizations for the purpose of subsequent permanent placement, and (3) capture and spay the mother cat.
(9) Using due consideration to prevent Feral Cat Colonies from being maintained on public lands, lands managed for wildlife or other natural resources, such as but not limited to Nature Preserves, where the presence of a Feral Cat Colony is a proven threat, and to avoid the taking of rare, threatened or endangered species under Ohio and U.S. law.
(10) Taking all reasonable measures to resolve nuisance complaints resulting from the Feral Cat Colony.
(d) Animal Welfare Organizations that sponsor a Feral Cat Colony Caretaker shall be responsible for reporting quarterly in writing to the City on:
(1) The location of the colony;
(2) The number and gender of all cats within the colony;
(3) A description of individual cats within the colony;
(4) The reproductive status of all cats within the colony;
(5) The number of cats that died or otherwise ceased being a part of the colony;
(6) The number of kittens born to colony cats and their disposition;
(7) The number of cats placed in animal shelters or in permanent homes as companion cats;
(8) The number of cats vaccinated; and,
(9) The number of cats spayed or neutered under it's TNR program conducted for the caretakers.
(e) Withdrawal of Feral Cat Colony Caretaker. In the event that a Feral Cat Colony Caretaker is unable or unwilling to continue in that role, he, or she or it shall notify the Animal Welfare Organization immediately, which shall in turn immediately notify the City. If no other Feral Cat Caretaker is providing for the colony and if no new Feral Cat Caretaker assumes responsibility for the colony within thirty (30) days, feeding of the colony shall cease by the caretakers(s).
(f) Failure to Adhere to Responsibilities and Revocation of Registration.
(1) If a Feral Cat Colony Caretaker fails to meet all of the requirements of this chapter or has failed to resolve a nuisance complaint related to the Feral Cat Colony, he or she shall be notified of all deficiencies in writing and shall have thirty (30) days to become compliant or resolve the nuisance. If not so resolved within the thirty (30) day period, the Feral Cat Colony registration may be revoked.
(2) It is the affirmative responsibility of the Feral Cat Colony Caretaker, via compliance with the provisions of Section 505.30(b), to reduce the size of the Feral Cat Colony. Any yearly increase in the size of the Feral Cat Colony by virtue of new births and/or adult additions to the colony shall be grounds for revocation of the Feral Cat Colony registration unless the Feral Cat Colony Caretaker shall have developed an approved action plan to reduce the colony's size within the following year. In the event the Feral Cat Colony Caretaker does not timely implement the action plan or, having implemented same, not reduced within the following year the size of the Feral Cat Colony, the registration may be revoked.
(3) No person who has had their registration as a Feral Cat Colony Caretaker revoked shall thereafter act in a manner contrary to Section 505.21.
(h) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(Ord. 17-O-21. Passed 3-7-17.)