A. 
The Town Council finds and determines that:
(1) 
Due to the large number of stray and abandoned cats, euthanasia is not a cost-effective, acceptable or ethical solution to the threats of public health and safety posed by large populations of stray domestic animals.
(2) 
Stray and abandoned pets, specifically cats, create numerous public health and safety problems, including transmission of disease and traffic hazards created by cats running loose on public streets.
(3) 
A permit system for breeding of cats owned or harbored in the Town combined with a program for spaying/neutering is a reasonable and effective means of reducing the population of abandoned or stray cats, and for eliminating the practice of euthanizing homeless cats except those for whom euthanasia is an escape from suffering or necessary to protect people and/or other animals from vicious behavior.
B. 
Declaration of intent. The Town Council hereby finds and declares that it intends to provide for the public health, safety and welfare through a program requiring spaying and neutering cats unless appropriate permits are acquired.
A. 
No person shall own or harbor within the Town any cat over the age of six months which has not been spayed or neutered, unless such person holds either a license to keep an unaltered cat or a license and permit for breeding cats issued by the Town Animal Control Officer, or the owner submits to the Animal Control Officer a letter from a licensed veterinarian stating that it would be inappropriate to spay/neuter the cat due to age, health, or illness. The owner of any cat over the age of six months is responsible to provide proof of spay/neuter through records or certificate of examination by a licensed veterinarian to the Animal Control Officer within seven days of a request for said records by the Animal Control Officer.
B. 
An "intact" permit shall be issued for an unaltered cat if the owner signs a written statement that such animal will not be allowed to breed unless the owner has first obtained a breeding permit. An "intact" permit may be issued by the ACO to an individual who refuses to spay or neuter their cat. The fee for such a permit shall be $100 per year. All funds from "intact" permits shall be deposited in the Town's spay/neuter account.
C. 
Any person, who keeps, has custody, owns, maintains, harbors, provides care or sustenance for, has control or charge of or responsibility for a cat or who permits a cat to habitually be or remain on or be lodged or fed within such person's property or premises shall be deemed evidence of ownership unless ownership of the cat by another party is established pursuant to Rhode Island General Laws § 4-22-2.
D. 
Subsection C above shall not be interpreted to apply to a person caring for a colony of feral cats if such person:
(1) 
Registers (at no charge) with the Town as a caretaker for feral cats;
(2) 
Regularly feeds or arranges for the feeding of the colony, including on weekends and holidays;
(3) 
Traps all feral cats over the age of eight weeks in their care, and has them spayed or neutered or identifies to Animal Control those cats deemed unable to be trapped;
(4) 
Has all trapped cats tested for feline aids and leukemia and has those who test positive humanely euthanized or isolated indoors;
(5) 
Identifies feral cats that have been spayed or neutered by means of ear notching, ear tipping, or ear tagging;
(6) 
Has all trapped cats vaccinated according to state and local laws.
A. 
No person shall cause or allow any cat owned or harbored in the Town to breed without first obtaining a breeding permit under this section.
B. 
Town Animal Control shall administer a permit program to allow breeding of cats consistent with criteria and according to procedures contained in the Town ordinances.
C. 
Each applicant who is issued a permit to breed cats under this section shall pay an annual breeding permit fee of $100 per cat.
D. 
Breeding permits shall be valid for 12 months, renewable on an annual basis. Fees for such permit shall be as set forth. All breeding permits shall contain the following terms and conditions and be subject to all of the following requirements:
(1) 
No offspring may be sold or adopted and permanently placed until reaching an age of at least eight weeks.
(2) 
No offspring may be sold or adopted until immunized against common diseases.
(3) 
If within one year of placement a new owner becomes unable or unwilling to continue ownership and responsibility for an animal, the permit holder shall assist in placement of the animal. If no suitable placement can be found within six months, the permit holder shall accept return of the animal if healthy and shall become fully responsible for its care.
(4) 
Any permit holder advertising to the public the availability of any animal for adoption or sale must prominently display the permit number in any publications in which they advertise. Further, the permit number must be provided to any person adopting or purchasing any animal bred by the permit holder.
(5) 
The breeding permit holder shall adhere to minimum standards regarding the care and keeping of animals developed and approved by Animal Control and state law.
A. 
Any permit issued may be revoked if the Animal Control Officer has reasonable cause to believe any of the following to be true:
(1) 
The permittee has violated any state or local ordinances relating to the keeping, care or use of any animal;
(2) 
The permittee is in violation of any state health or safety law or regulation regarding animal care or control;
(3) 
The permittee has failed to comply with any condition or requirement of the permit or has failed to pay any fee imposed under this article;
(4) 
The permittee refuses to allow inspection, upon 48 hours' written notice, of any cat covered by the permit or the premises on which the animal is kept; or
(5) 
The permittee has transferred, sold or otherwise disposed of the cat for which the permit was issued.
B. 
If, after investigation, the Animal Control Officer concludes that it is probable that one or more of the above grounds for revocation has occurred, it shall cause written notice thereof to be transmitted by mail to the address of the permittee. Said notice shall specify the grounds of possible revocation of the permit and shall specify a date and time for an informal hearing to be held before an Animal Control Officer. Said date shall be not less than five days subsequent to the date the notice is mailed. If the health or well-being of the animal is in danger, the Animal Control Officer may take custody and control of the animal until such time that a hearing is conducted. After the informal hearing, the Animal Control Officer may modify the terms of the permit or revoke the permit.
Any person who violates the provisions of this article shall be subject to a $100 fine. In the case of an unneutered cat, said person shall have no more than 30 days to have their cat spayed or neutered or provide proof from a licensed veterinarian indicating that arrangements have been made to spay or neuter their cat(s). The ACO may inform persons subject to this article about the availability of reduced-cost or free-of-cost spay/neuter programs sponsored by local humane organizations. If an animal is not spayed or neutered within 30 days of notice, they shall be subject to a $100 fine for each 30 days the subject animal is not spayed or neutered.