[Adopted 10-10-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-19]
The Town of Newton, like many communities throughout the State
of New Jersey and the United States, desires to effectively and humanely
control feral cat populations within the Town. The ACO has recommended
that the Town institute a Trap, Neuter and Release program (TNR) in
an effort to reduce the feral cat population over time without the
necessity of wholesale capture and euthanization. The Town Council
adopts this article in an effort to improve the public health, welfare
and safety within the Town.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
The person appointed annually by the Town Council, per § 57-23 of the Code of the Town of Newton.
Any volunteer, who is an uncompensated person, who agrees
to facilitate a TNR program within the Town in accordance with this
article and any rules and regulations that may be established by the
Town. A caregiver shall not be deemed an employee of the Town and
shall hold such volunteer position at the pleasure of Town Council
and may be removed from or precluded from holding such volunteer position
in the sole discretion of Town Council. All caregivers must execute
a hold harmless and indemnification agreement with the Town of Newton.
The marking of a cat's ear through a surgical procedure performed
by qualified personnel.
Any cat that is not licensed in accordance with § 57-14 of the Town Code and is freeroaming.
The Town shall provide funding each year from the collection of monies related to cat licensing, per Chapter 57, Article III, up to a maximum of the amount collected the previous year from Town cat licensing. Such funds shall be utilized to offset the costs of trapping, neutering, and vaccinating captured feral cats that can be returned to an appropriate, controlled, protected and registered colony site. Caregivers for such colonies, whether one or several animals, may be aided by the Town in providing traps for the capture of the cat, transportation to a spay/neuter facility and offsetting costs, to the extent that funding is available.
Each feral cat colony will be registered with the ACO, who will
serve as a clearinghouse for information on current caregivers, education,
and assistance for persons found in violation of this article.
Ear tipping shall be used on feral cats in order to be identified
as a spayed or neutered and vaccinated member of a managed colony.
In addition to the ACO's authority per § 57-18 of the Town Code, any person or caregiver determined to be in violation of Subsections A through E below shall be issued a written warning and be allowed no longer than 90 days to come into compliance, or provide satisfactory evidence of working to achieve compliance. Caregivers of feral cat colonies shall implement proper management and sterilization practices, as well as seek the assistance of the Animal Control Officer, as follows:
A.Â
Sterilize (spay /neuter) all adult cats that can be captured.
B.Â
Vaccinate, as required by law, all cats that can be captured against
rabies, preferably with a three-year vaccine; and any other infectious
disease as mandated by law.
C.Â
Make every attempt to remove kittens from the colony before eight
weeks of age for domestication and placement.
D.Â
Make every attempt to remove sick or injured cats from the colony
for immediate veterinarian care or humane euthanasia.
E.Â
Assure responsibility and arrangements for providing food and water
to the cat colony regularly throughout the year and vaccinations.
F.Â
Make every attempt to ear tip all cats with a single cut preferably
on the left ear for each cat in the colony.
G.Â
Maintain proof of sterilization, vaccination, ear tipping and medical
records for all cats. These records shall be provided to the Animal
Control Officer upon request.
H.Â
Register the feral cat colony with the ACO for the Town of Newton.
I.Â
Execute all documents required by the Town which may be established
by this article or by resolution of the Town Council.
No feral cat colony shall be permitted to be established on Spring Street within the Town of Newton. The ACO shall impound all feral cats on Spring Street in accordance with § 57-18 of the Town Code.
The ACO shall be responsible for issuing citations and summons
for violation(s) of this article. Any person who violates, or who
fails, or refuses to comply with this article shall be liable for
a penalty of not less than $100 nor more than $500 for a first offense,
and no less than $150 nor less than $1,000 for each additional offense,
to be recovered by and in the name of the Town of Newton.
