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COMMUNITY CATS
For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
COMMUNITY CAT. Any free-roaming, feral, or barn cat that may be cared for by one or more residents of the immediate area and which has no discernible form of ownership identification. COMMUNITY CAT includes a domesticated cat that an owner has forsaken entirely or neglected or for which an owner has refused to provide care and support.
COMMUNITY CAT CAREGIVER. A person who provides care, including food, water, shelter or medical care to a community cat. A COMMUNITY CAT CAREGIVER shall not be considered to be the owner, custodian, harborer, controller, or keeper of a community cat.
EARTIPPING. The removal of the one-fourth-inch tip of community cat’s ear, performed while the cat is under anesthesia, under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian and designed to be an indication that the community cat has been sterilized and vaccinated for rabies.
FERAL CAT. A cat that:
(1) Is born in the wild or is the offspring of an owned or feral cat and is not socialized; or
(2) Is a formerly owned cat that has been abandoned and is no longer socialized; or
(3) Lives on a farm.
FERAL CAT COLONY. A group of cats that congregates, more or less, together as a unit. Although not every cat in a colony may be feral, any nonferal cats that congregate with a colony shall be deemed to be a part of it.
(Ord. 1798, passed 11-20-2017)
The purpose of this subchapter is to permit implementation of a Community Cat Program (CCP) in the village for the purpose of reducing the population of feral and free roaming cats, benefitting public health, improving the quality of life for residents, and ensuring the humane treatment of community cats.
(Ord. 1798, passed 11-20-2017)
(A) The Board of Trustees of the Village of Swansea hereby establishes the following community cat requirements:
(1) All community cats must be cared for on the private property of the caregiver or with the permission from the owner or property manager if cared for on the property of another.
(2) All community cat caregivers shall make reasonable efforts to have all free-roaming cats within their care sterilized, vaccinated against rabies, and ear-tipped for easy identification.
(3) All community cat caregivers are required to make reasonable efforts to provide certain necessities to each community cat under his or her care on a regular/ongoing basis, including, but not limited to, proper nutrition, adequate quantities of visibly clean and fresh water and medical care as needed. If medical care is unavailable or too expensive, the community cat caregiver must not allow the cat to suffer.
(4) Dumping on the ground or dispensing large quantities of food more than will be immediately eaten by the community cats present is prohibited. Feeding areas must be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition.
(5) Community cat caregivers shall make reasonable attempts to remove young kittens from the field for domestication.
(B) As long as St. Clair County continues to exempt community cats from licensing requirements, community cats within the Village of Swansea meeting the requirements of this section are exempt from any licensing requirements under Section 3-3-1 of Chapter 3 of the St. Clair County Code of Ordinances.
(C) The village 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.
(D) No community cat shall be released at any governmentally owned or managed park, natural area, area deemed as environmentally sensitive land or on any easement adjacent to such lands without approval from the village.
(E) (1) As long as St. Clair County continues to exempt healthy community cats from the holding period requirement, healthy community cats within the Village of Swansea that have been impounded are exempt from the holding period referenced in Section 3-4-4 of Chapter 3 of the St. Clair County Code of Ordinances and shall be immediately returned to the location at which they were found, released to a caregiver or adopted. Before being returned to the location at which they were found or released to a caregiver, community cats shall be sterilized, eartipped while under anesthesia under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian, and vaccinated for rabies.
(2) Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever such 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, transferred to a humane society or private animal nonprofit organization or placed in foster care, then St. Clair County, acting in good faith and upon reasonable belief, may humanely euthanize the cat upon the advice of a licensed veterinarian.
(F) As long as St. Clair County continues to exempt community cats from the requirements of Section 3-4-4(A) - (D) of its Code of Ordinances, community cats within the Village of Swansea released to a caregiver in accordance with division (E) above shall not be subject to the requirements of Section 3-4-4(A) - (D) of Chapter 3 of the St. Clair County Code of Ordinances.
(G) Community cat caregivers shall not be prohibited from placing or distributing cat food on vacant lots or in unoccupied structures in the village, provided that permission from the property owner has been obtained to care for community cats on the property.
(Ord. 1798, passed 11-20-2017)
GENERAL REGULATIONS
It shall be unlawful for any person owning or possessing a dog, cat or other domestic animal to permit such animal to go upon any sidewalk, parkway or private lands or premises without the permission of the owner of such premises, and break, bruise, tear up, crush or injure any lawn, flower bed, plants, shrub, tree or garden in any manner whatsoever, or to defecate thereon. Any cat or other domestic animal injuring property, as described in this section, is hereby declared a nuisance and may be taken up and impounded in the same manner as provided by ordinance for dogs.
(Prior Code, § 14-201) Penalty, see § 90.99
(A) Pens, yards or runs. All pens, yards or runs or other structures wherein any animal is kept shall be of such construction so as to be easily cleaned and kept in good repair.
(B) Fences. Fences which are intended as enclosures for any animal shall be securely constructed, shall be adequate for the purpose, kept in good repair and shall not be allowed to become unsightly.
(Prior Code, § 14-202) Penalty, see § 90.99
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