[Adopted 11-5-2014 by Ord. No. 2761-14[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also stated that the pilot program
concerning feral cats would have a term of three years, beginning
on 12-1-2014 and ending on 11-30-2017. The program will be reviewed
annually, including but not limited to a) the pilot program's operation
and implementation; b) effectiveness in the reduction of the number
of feral cats and control of the feral cat population; c) cost effectiveness
of the pilot program; d) caretaker participation in the pilot program;
e) sponsor organization participation in the pilot program; and f)
effect on neighbors and residents.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
A person who provides care for a feral cat colony, including
feeding, trapping, transporting for spay/neutering, transporting for
veterinary care as needed, and other actions needed for a healthy
feral cat colony in compliance with local ordinances and operating
procedures.
One or more feral cats that congregate, more or less, together
as a unit and share a common food source.
For the purposes of this article, shall mean any unowned
and homeless or stray cat.
For the purpose of this article, a nonprofit organization
designated by the Township Committee that has expertise in organizing
and operating feral cat colonies and in working with volunteers to
conduct such feral cat colonies in a comprehensive healthful manner
in compliance with this article.
It shall be unlawful for any person to intentionally provide
food, water or other forms of sustenance to a feral cat or feral cat
colony unless the person has been registered with the sponsoring organization
on forms to be provided by the sponsoring organization and the Township,
as a caretaker for feral cats.
In furtherance of the Township's program to control the proliferation
of feral cat colonies in the Township in a humane manner, persons
who are interested in documenting as a caretaker of feral cats shall
do so by executing a feral cat documentation form. By doing so, the
caretaker agrees to the following:
A.
Assure responsibility and arrangements for feeding the cat or colony
regularly throughout the year, including weekends, holidays and absences
of the documented caretaker person(s).
B.
Cooperate in the regular and frequent trapping of cats over the age
of 12 weeks to have them spayed or neutered and vaccinated against
rabies.
C.
Arrange to have symptomatically ill or injured cats brought for veterinary
care.
D.
Identify all trapped spayed/neutered cats by tipping their ears.
E.
Arrange to have all cats vaccinated for rabies.
F.
No feral cat feeding sites shall be located on house properties or
business properties located within 50 yards of a child-care center
or school.
G.
Feral cat feeding stations shall not be located on the property of
any person or business without the approval of the property owner
and/or business.
H.
Feral cat feeding sites shall not be located upon any public property
owned by the Township of Maplewood, the South Orange-Maplewood School
District or other governmental unit.
I.
Food for feral cat colonies shall not be provided in a manner that
attracts cats not in the colony or provides food for rodents, raccoons
or other wild animals. Food shall be removed within one hour.
J.
Persons who want to participate as caregivers shall attend a mandatory
training class operated by the sponsoring organization or other recognized
training organization, and this course shall be a prerequisite to
registration.
K.
Each caretaker shall register with the Township Clerk, on a form
to be provided, annually.
L.
Once registered, the Clerk will provide the caretaker a sticker designating
the caretaker as registered. The sticker is to be displayed prominently
on the property which is hosting the colony so that Township employees
will be able to recognize the caretaker as registered with the Township.
A.
As designated by the Township Committee, the sponsoring organization
shall develop standard operating procedures for caring for feral cat
colonies. These standard operating procedures shall be approved by
the Township Health Officer.
B.
The sponsoring organization shall have insurance to cover injuries
of volunteers or persons bitten or injured by cats or other causes
of injury at the documented feral cat colony or in conjunction with
activities involved in the management of documented feral cat colonies.
C.
The sponsoring organization shall work with volunteers to provide
for timely and regular capture of cats, spay/neutering of cats and
vaccination and veterinary care as needed of feral cats in colonies.
D.
The sponsoring organization shall provide or coordinate mandatory
educational classes to educate persons who are documented to be feral
cat colony caretakers and volunteers in best practice and standard
operating procedure methods to operate a feral cat colony and in reducing
nuisance to neighbors.
E.
The sponsoring organization shall provide or coordinate educational
materials concerning feral cat colonies to the public and to neighbors
within five houses in the front, sides and rear of the feral cat colony.
F.
The sponsoring organization shall at least monthly monitor feral
cat colony caretakers for adherence to operating procedures and the
health and number of feral cats in the colony. It shall maintain a
record of these monitoring observations and report to Health Department
on a monthly basis.
