(a) 
Application for a permit to act as a feral cat caregiver must be made to the health director or his or her designee.
(b) 
Upon a determination by the health director or his or her designee that the prospective feral cat caregiver and prospective cat colony location will meet the requirements in this division, the health director will issue a permit to create and maintain a cat colony. Permits issued under this section are valid for a period of one (1) year. The feral cat caregiver must either apply for renewal of the permit or disband the colony upon expiration of the permit.
(c) 
The health director or his or her designee may deny a permit for a cat colony if the director deems that the colony would be detrimental to the prospective member cats or the neighborhood in which the colony is to be located.
(d) 
The health director is authorized to require an annual permit fee to accompany each application for a permit.
(e) 
Permits are specific as to the individual permitted as the feral cat caregiver and the location of the colony. Individuals wishing to transfer a cat colony to another caregiver or another location must make an application for a new permit and pay a permit fee.
(Ordinance 58-2024 adopted 11/5/2024)
(a) 
No permit shall be issued for a cat colony location until the prospective feral cat caregiver presents to the health director written permission for a cat colony signed by every property owner, where a shared property line exists for the proposed location of the cat colony. Such permission is valid for three (3) years or until the property is transferred to another party. Written permission must be obtained any time permission expires due to length of time or transfer of property.
(b) 
In lieu of written permission from the property owner of a location, a prospective feral cat caregiver may document an inability to determine or contact the property owner of that location. This documentation shall include a copy of the property owner's contact information on file with the county appraisal district and a sworn affidavit detailing the manner and frequency of the attempts to locate or contact the property owner by the prospective feral cat caregiver. The affidavit shall also swear that the prospective feral cat caregiver has no reason to believe that the property owner in question is opposed to the presence of a cat colony at the prospective cat colony location.
(c) 
A colony shall not be located on a sidewalk. Feral cat feeding locations may be in an alleyway, but may not be placed in a manner as to obstruct the alleyway.
(d) 
The feral cat caregiver either must be the property owner of the cat colony location or have written permission from the property owner of the location in order to obtain a permit for the desired location.
(Ordinance 58-2024 adopted 11/5/2024)
It shall be the caregiver's responsibility to ensure every member cat will be trapped and inspected by a veterinarian for illness or injury within 120 days of granting of the cat colony permit. Any adult cat determined to be in good health at the time of the initial trapping will be microchipped, vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and subjected to ear tipping prior to its being returned to the cat colony. Any adult cat determined to be injured or in poor health at the time of the initial trapping will be provided with veterinary care sufficient to return it to good health, and then microchipped, vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and subjected to ear tipping prior to its being returned to the cat colony. In the alternative, any adult cat determined to be injured or in poor health at the time of the initial trapping may be fostered, adopted with the acknowledgement of any health condition and needed treatment, or euthanized.
(Ordinance 58-2024 adopted 11/5/2024)
(a) 
Feral cat caregivers are expected to follow the TVARM (trap, vaccinate, alter, return, and manage) form of feral cat colony management guidelines.
(b) 
Member cats are to be provided with adequate food and potable water as defined by section 14-452.
(c) 
Kittens found to be at a cat colony location will be trapped and removed from the colony by the feral cat caregiver when the kittens are between eight (8) and sixteen (16) weeks of age. Removed kittens are to be either domesticated and fostered in a foster home for adoption into permanent homes or euthanized.
(d) 
A feral cat caregiver shall immediately trap and remove from the colony any sick or injured member cat found to be at the colony location. A sick or injured member cat shall either be provided with veterinary care sufficient to return it to good health prior to its being returned to the registered cat colony, fostered, adopted, or euthanized.
(e) 
All member cats shall be vaccinated against rabies when trapped for any reason.
(f) 
A feral cat caregiver shall keep records for the registered cat colony, including a photograph, documentation of sterilization, and rabies certificates for each member cat. These records will be provided to the health director or his/her designee upon request.
(g) 
A feral cat caregiver must use feeding strategies that do not attract wildlife (e.g., designated feeding stations, distributing only the amount of food to be consumed by member cats). All unfinished food and trash shall be removed on a daily basis so as not to create a nuisance.
(h) 
The caregiver permit shall be posted and visible at all times.
(Ordinance 58-2024 adopted 11/5/2024)
(a) 
The health director may revoke the permit to act as a feral cat caregiver to a cat colony if there is probable cause to believe that a cat colony does not comply with this division. The director shall send written notice of revocation to the feral cat caregiver. Upon written notice of revocation by the director, a feral cat caregiver shall have seven (7) calendar days from the date of the issuance of the notice to file written appeal under section 14-519 or disband the colony by trapping and relocating, adopting out, or euthanizing the member cats. If a feral cat caregiver fails to disband the colony or file written appeal within seven (7) days under section 14-519, the director or his or her designee may authorize the ASC to trap and impound the member cats, and the caregiver may be subject to citation.
(b) 
Notice as required in this section is properly served when it is delivered by hand to the feral cat caregiver, or when it is sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the last known address of the feral cat caregiver. A copy of the notice shall be filed in the records of the health director or his/her designee.
(Ordinance 58-2024 adopted 11/5/2024)
Nothing in this division shall be construed as excusing a cat colony location or a feral cat caregiver from all other pertinent laws, including those prohibiting nuisances or disturbances.
(Ordinance 58-2024 adopted 11/5/2024)