[Adopted 4-3-2012 by Ord. No. 12-2012]
A. 
Pursuant to its police powers, the municipality has an obligation to effective and humanely control feral cat populations within the boundaries of the municipality.
B. 
The governing body of the municipality believes that it is in the interest of the public health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the community to institute a trap, neuter and return program (TNR) in an effort to reduce the feral cat population within the community over time without the necessity of wholesale capture and euthanasia.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER
A certified municipal animal control officer, or in the absence of such an officer, the chief law enforcement officer of the municipality or his designee.
ANIMAL COORDINATOR
The person appointed annually by the governing body of the municipality to maintain records of feral cats, to recommend caregivers and to perform such duties authorized by these regulations.
CAREGIVER
A volunteer and uncompensated person who agrees to serve to facilitate the TNR Program within the municipality in accordance with the regulations set forth herein. A caregiver shall not be deemed an employee of the municipality and shall hold such volunteer position at the pleasure of the governing body. A caregiver may be removed from or precluded from holding such volunteer position in the sole discretion of the governing body of the municipality.
EAR TIPPING
The marking of a cat's ear through a surgical procedure performed by qualified personnel.
FERAL CAT
Any stray cat roaming at large without a collar identifying the owner.
A. 
A trap, neuter and return program is hereby established within the municipality in accordance with the rules and regulations set forth herein.
B. 
No person shall allow any cat to roam free within the municipality without a collar identifying the owner, unless the cat is part of the trap, neuter and return program.
C. 
No person shall allow any cat to roam free in a manner to enter upon any public lands restricted for such use by federal, state or local agencies or authorities.
D. 
No person shall abandon any cat within the municipality.
Each feral cat colony shall be registered by the caregivers with the municipal animal coordinator. The animal coordinator shall serve as a clearing house for information on current caregivers, education for new caregivers, and assistance for persons found in violation of these regulations.
Ear tipping shall be used on feral cats in order to identify the cats as spayed or neutered and vaccinated as a member of a managed colony.
Caregivers of feral cat colonies shall implement proper management and sterilization practices, and shall seek the assistance of the Animal Control Officer or the animal coordinator as follows:
A. 
Sterilize (spay/neuter) all adult cats that can be captured.
B. 
Vaccinate, as required by law, all cats that can be captured against rabies, preferably with a three-year vaccine together with any other infectious disease as mandated by law.
C. 
Make every attempt to remove kittens from the colony before eight weeks of age for domestication and placement.
D. 
Make every attempt to remove sick or injured cats from the colony for immediate veterinarian care or humane euthanasia.
E. 
Assume responsibility and arrangements for feeding the cat colony regularly throughout the year, including weekends, holidays and vacations of the feral cat caregiver. Feeding on the caregiver's property of feral cats managed by such caregiver shall not constitute a violation of these regulations.
F. 
All reasonable efforts shall be made to "ear tip" all cats within a colony with a single cut preferably on the left ear and arrange for the implantation of an identification microchip. If this is not practicable under the circumstances, photographic documentation adequate to identify the cat shall be obtained.
G. 
Maintain proof of sterilization, vaccination, ear tipping and implantation of microchip and medical records for all cats. These records must be provided to the animal coordinator upon request.
H. 
Register the feral cat colony with the animal coordinator for the municipality.
I. 
Execute all documents required by the municipality pursuant to the regulations set forth herein or administrative rules and regulations adopted by the Commissioner in charge.
No feral cat colony shall be permitted to be established within any area designated by federal or state agencies as areas reserved for protected or endangered species of birds or other wildlife, or in any federal, state or local designated park or preserve utilized for recreation.
The Commissioner in charge of the department of government under which the feral cat program will be administered shall have the authority to adopt administrative rules and regulations to further implement the TNR Program so long as they are not inconsistent with the rules and regulations set forth herein.
A. 
Any person or caregiver determined to be in violation of these regulations shall be issued a written warning and be allowed a period of time in the discretion of the Animal Control Officer, but not longer than 90 days, to come into compliance or provide satisfactory evidence of working to achieve compliance.
B. 
Except as set forth above, any person violating the rules and regulations set forth herein shall be subject to the penalties set forth in § 8-20 of this chapter.