[Adopted 11-13-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-49]
For the purpose of this article, the following terms shall have
the meanings set forth in this section. When not inconsistent with
the context, words used in the present tense include the future, words
in the plural number include the singular, words in the singular number
include the plural, and words in the male gender include the female
gender.
Any person who provides food, water or shelter to or otherwise
cares for a feral cat colony.
As used in this article, a cat which is currently socialized
to humans.
Straight-line cutting of the tip of the left ear of a cat
while the cat is anesthetized.
A cat which currently exists in a wild or untamed state.
An individual cat or group of cats that congregates. Although
not every cat in a colony may be feral, any nonferal cats that routinely
congregate with a colony shall be deemed to be a part of it.
Disturbing the peace by:
A duly incorporated nonprofit organization with animal welfare
as part of its corporate purpose which agrees to comply with the requirements
of sponsorship as set forth in this article, provides written notice
to the City that it desires to serve as a sponsor, and is approved
by the City within its discretion.
Shelter that provides protection from rain, sun, and other
elements and is adequate to protect the health of the cat.
Trap, neuter and return.
A program pursuant to which cats are trapped, neutered or
spayed, vaccinated against rabies, eartipped and returned to the current
location where they congregate.
Feral cat colonies shall be permitted and caregivers shall be
entitled to maintain them in accordance with the terms and conditions
of this article. The City reserves the right to limit the number of
colonies permitted in the City of Vineland.
The TNR Program shall be administered by one or more sponsors
approved by the Mayor and City Council (Board of Health) with the
advice and consent of the Health Director.
It shall be the duty of the sponsor to:
A.
Conduct a thorough review to determine if the caregiver(s) has the capability to meet the requirements of § 224-86;
B.
Provide training to caregivers regarding proper management of a feral
cat colony, including methods to safely capture ferals and health
and nutritional needs of a colony;
D.
Help to resolve any complaints over the conduct of a colony caregiver
or of cats within a colony;
E.
Ensure that records are maintained by colony caregivers on the size
and location of the colonies as well as the vaccination and spay/neuter
records of cats in the sponsor's colonies;
F.
Report quarterly to the City on the following:
Caregivers are responsible for the following:
A.
Submitting the feral cat colony for registration with the sponsor.
B.
Taking all reasonable, good faith steps that will result in the vaccination
of the colony population for rabies and updating the vaccinations
on cats that can be recaptured.
C.
Taking all reasonable, good faith steps that will result in the spaying/neutering,
by a licensed veterinarian, of 100% of the colony population. In facilitating
the spaying/neutering of cats, caregivers shall be presumed to have
acted in good faith in concluding that cats routinely congregating
within the colony are feral.
D.
Upon request, providing the sponsor and/or ACO with descriptions
of each cat in the colony and copies of documents evidencing that
the cats have been vaccinated and spayed/neutered.
E.
Providing food, water and suitable shelter for colony cats. Food
shall only be made available during daylight hours to reduce the attraction
of nocturnal rabies vectors.
F.
Providing for observation by the caregiver, or a responsible party
designated by the caregiver, of the colony cats on a daily basis,
and keeping a record of any illnesses or unusual behavior noticed
in any colony cats.
G.
Obtaining proper medical attention to any colony cat that appears
to require it.
H.
Obtaining the approval of the owner of any property to which the
caregiver requires access to provide colony care.
I.
In the event that kittens are born to a colony cat, taking all reasonable,
good faith steps that will result in the removal of the kittens from
the colony after they have been weaned, and the placement of kittens
in permanent homes, with proof of spay/neuter, or with the Cumberland
County SPCA or other shelters at no cost to the City.
J.
Making reasonable efforts to find permanent inside homes for colony
cats who exhibit the potential for acclimating to such a placement.
K.
Not introducing or allowing to be introduced any cats from outside
the already existing colony into the colony.
L.
Reporting semiannually in writing to the sponsor on the status of
the colony, including data on the number and gender of all cats in
the colony, the number of cats that died or otherwise ceased being
a part of the colony during the year; the number of kittens born to
colony cats and their disposition and the number of cats placed in
permanent homes as companion cats.
M.
Undergo training for themselves and their responsible substitutes
in the proper management of a colony as developed by the City and
the sponsor.
Feral cat colonies within the municipality that are not registered
with the sponsor are not entitled to any benefits or protections set
forth in this article.
A.
An Animal Control Officer who has trapped a cat whose left ear has
been tipped or who bears some other distinguishing mark indicating
that the cat belongs to a feral cat colony shall scan the cat for
an EAID. If an EAID is found, the Officer shall contact the sponsor
or other person responsible for the cat.
B.
Once contacted, the caregiver shall be responsible for retrieving
the cat from the ACO or, if the ACO has delivered the cat to a shelter,
the caregiver shall retrieve the cat from the shelter within seven
business days of notification or shall surrender the cat to the shelter
and pay any required release fees if the caregiver does not intend
to retrieve the cat.
A.
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.
B.
No person shall feed a feral cat other than an approved caretaker
of a registered cat colony in accordance with this article, or a responsible
substitute.
B.
Each violation of any of the provisions of this chapter and each
day the same is violated shall be deemed and taken to be a separate
and distinct offense.
C.
Nothing shall interfere with the City's ability to:
(1)
Seize/remove a cat from a colony that is creating a nuisance as defined
above if the caregiver and sponsor have failed to cure the nuisance
within 30 days of being advised in writing of its existence, which
period may be extended at the City's discretion if progress is being
made to cure the nuisance.
(2)
Seize/remove a feral cat colony when the caregiver regularly fails to comply with the requirements of § 224-86 if the sponsor has failed to correct the situation within 30 days of being given notice in writing delineating the failure with specificity. Said period may be extended at the City's discretion if progress is being made to correct the violation(s).
(3)
No provisions in this article are intended to interfere with the
ability of ACOs to comply with N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.16 or other existing
law.
The Department of Health shall conduct a periodic review of
the program and recommend any revisions which may be required to the
governing body.
