Feral cat colonies shall be permitted and feral cat colony caretakers shall be entitled to maintain and care for feral cats by providing food, water, shelter and other forms of sustenance, provided that the feral cat colonies are registered with the animal services department.
Each feral cat colony within the city limits must be registered annually with the animal services department. This registration shall include:
(1) 
The name and contact information for the primary colony caretaker.
(2) 
The location of the feral cat colony.
(3) 
The number of cats in the colony.
(4) 
Documentation showing the number of cats that have been spayed, neutered and vaccinated in the colony in the past year.
The animal services supervisor shall appoint a committee to assist with the management of feral cat colonies within the city limits. This committee will assist the animal services supervisor with:
(1) 
Ensuring that the registered caretakers are operating within the requirements of this article.
(2) 
Resolving conflicts or complaints over the conduct of a feral cat colony caretaker or of any cats within a colony.
(3) 
Determining the disposition of an abandoned feral cat colony.
(4) 
Establishing and reviewing written minimum educational standards for all registered colony caretakers.
(5) 
Establishing and reviewing the procedures for feral cat colony maintenance.
All registered feral cat colony caretakers are responsible for the following:
(1) 
Registering the colony with the animal services department.
(2) 
Taking all appropriate and reasonable steps to have the colony population vaccinated for rabies in accordance with this article.
(3) 
Taking all appropriate steps to have the colony population spayed or neutered by a licensed veterinarian.
(4) 
Providing food, water, and if feasible, shelter for colony cats.
(5) 
Obtaining proper medical attention for any colony cat that appears to require it.
(6) 
Obtaining written authorization from the appropriate property owner to enter on to private property to provide colony care.
(7) 
Notifying the department within 7 days of any change in address or contact information for the caretaker.
(8) 
Following the written procedures for colony maintenance as established under this article by the oversight committee.
In the event a registered caretaker is unable or unwilling to continue their duties with a colony, the caretaker must notify the animal services department in writing. If no replacement caretaker is readily available, the animal services supervisor will meet with the oversight committee to determine the disposition of the abandoned feral cat colony.
Any cat that is trapped within the city limits will be checked for identification marks. If a trapped cat is believed to belong to a feral cat colony, the animal services department will notify the registered caretakers. The caretakers must:
(1) 
Retrieve the colony cat from the shelter within 3 days; or
(2) 
Inform the animal services department that they do not intend to reclaim the cat.
(a) 
The establishment of feral cat colonies does not diminish the right for individual private property owners to trap and remove stray animals from their property in accordance with established procedures of the animal services department.
(b) 
Feral cat colony cats that are repeatedly trapped on private property or otherwise cause a continued nuisance will be reported to the registered caretakers. The caretakers will be provided 30 days to resolve the issue. In the event the caretaker is unable to resolve the problem, the animal services supervisor will discuss the disposition of the cat with the oversight committee.
(c) 
Feral cat colony cats that are trapped on private property do not constitute a violation regarding unrestrained animals and the registered caretaker is not subject to the implementation of a fine under that provision.
A feral cat colony caretaker that repeatedly fails to manage a colony or otherwise continues to act in a manner that is not in compliance with this article may be prohibited from serving as a feral cat colony caretaker. Such decisions will be at the discretion of the animal services supervisor with the advice of the oversight committee.
Feral cats who were spayed or neutered and vaccinated for rabies prior to the date on which this article became effective, shall be deemed to be in compliance with this article provided that the colony caretaker provides the animal services department with a description of the individual cat. Feral cat colony caretakers shall take all appropriate steps to bring these cats into compliance with this article within three years, or upon revaccination of the cats for rabies, whichever comes first.
(Ordinance 2013-04, sec. 15, adopted 6/11/13)