It is the purpose of this article for the Town to adopt, by ordinance, guidelines and limits with regard to the harboring of cats within the Town in order to improve the quality of life in the Town, to reduce conditions that adversely affect the public health, safety and general welfare of the Town and its inhabitants and to generally promote public health, safety, and welfare of the Town.
[Added 6-6-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-5]
It shall be unlawful for any person to own, keep or harbor more than three cats within or about their dwelling or place of abode. Cats kept on any tract of land devoted to commercial agricultural use or property larger than three acres are exempt from the requirements of this section. A grandfather clause is added for any persons having three or more cats prior to the adoption of the ordinance from which this section is derived. If, for any reason, the ACO is called to the premises, all paperwork must be given for each cat, so proof of the ownership shall be known prior to the adoption of the ordinance from which this section is derived.
If an owner keeps or harbors more than three cats within or about their dwelling or place of abode, then said cats shall be impounded by any police officer, Animal Control Warden, or any other authorized person for a period, not exceeding five days, during which period such cat may be returned to the owner upon proof that said owner has reduced the number of cats within or about their dwelling or place of abode to a number in accordance with this division. At the expiration of a five-day impoundment, if the owner has not reduced the number in accordance with the limits set forth in this division so as to allow the return of the cats in the Town's possession, then said cats shall be held for a thirty-day period from the time of the Town's possession to allow time for adoption or fostering, unless otherwise medically proven sick or feral. This pertains to all cats. Each cat adopted from said shelter or organization shall have all paperwork stating that each cat has been altered/feline, tested negative for leukemia and up to date on all shots. At the expiration of the five-day impoundment and the thirty-day foster/adoption period, if the owner has not reduced the number in accordance with the limits set forth in this article so as to allow the return of the cats in the Town's possession, or, in the alternative, said cats have not been adopted as provided herein, then said cats can be disposed of at the discretion of the Animal Control Officer in the same manner as provided by the article for dogs.
Any cat impounded hereunder may be reclaimed as herein provided upon payment by the owner to the Animal Control Warden or Animal Control Officer on duty the sum of $50 and the additional sum of $5 for each full day such animal has been kept in the animal shelter. Impoundment fees set forth and such additional sums as herein provided for keeping animals shall be collected by the Animal Control Warden or Animal Control Officer on duty and turned over to the Town of North Providence Finance Department.
The Animal Control Officer and/or Police Department shall be responsible for the enforcement of this article.