[Adopted 10-21-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-18]
COMMUNITY CAT
Any free-roaming, feral, or barn cat that may be cared for by one or more residents of the immediate area and has no discernible form of ownership identification.
COMMUNITY CAT CAREGIVER
A person who voluntarily provides care (including food, water, shelter, or medical treatment) to a community cat. A caregiver shall not be considered the owner, custodian, or keeper of the cat.
COMMUNITY CAT COLONY
A group of community cats that congregate together as a unit.
EAR TIPPING
The removal of the 1/4 inch tip of a community cat's left ear while under anesthesia by a licensed veterinarian, indicating that the cat has been sterilized and vaccinated for rabies.
FERAL CAT
A cat that is either born in the wild or has been abandoned and is no longer socialized.
A. 
To permit the managed care of community cats within Willingboro Township to humanely reduce their population, improve public health outcomes, and enhance community well-being.
A. 
Private property restriction. Community cats may only be cared for on the private property of the caregiver. Caring for cats on any property other than the caregiver's is strictly prohibited, regardless of consent.
B. 
Voluntary participation only. No resident shall be obligated to care for or manage any community cat unless they have voluntarily agreed to do so. Any person who serves as a Community Cat Caregiver does so freely of their own desire and retains the liberty to cease operating in that capacity at any time.
C. 
Caregiver responsibilities.
(1) 
Community Cat Caregivers must make reasonable efforts to:
(a) 
Sterilize, vaccinate for rabies, and ear tip all cats under their care.
(b) 
Provide clean water and nutritious food daily, with feeding limited to daylight hours and all food removed before dark.
(c) 
Maintain clean and sanitary feeding sites.
(d) 
Seek veterinary attention for sick or injured cats when feasible, or contact Animal Services if not.
(2) 
All Community Cat Caregivers expressly accept complete and total financial responsibility for the services they provide to the cats in their care. There is no expectation for reimbursement or financial support from the Township for these services. Any fees requested or assessed by a trapper are expressly between the homeowner or caregiver and said trapper, and such fees are not mandated, required, or payable by the Township. All fees agreed upon with veterinary service providers are solely negotiated between the caregiver, organization, and the veterinary provider, with no costs to be passed on to the Township beyond the normal and reasonable fees payable to the contracted Animal Control provider for services as agreed.
D. 
Kittens. Caregivers are encouraged to remove kittens from the field when possible for socialization and adoption.
A. 
Animal Services may remove or authorize the removal of any community cat due to immediate public health or safety concerns.
B. 
No cat shall be released on:
(1) 
Government-owned land.
(2) 
Parks or natural areas.
(3) 
Environmentally sensitive lands.
(4) 
Easements adjacent to such areas without written permission from the Township Administration.
A. 
Healthy, sterilized, and vaccinated community cats may be:
(1) 
Returned to the exact location where they were trapped;
(2) 
Released to a registered caregiver; or
(3) 
Made available for adoption.
B. 
Cats must be sterilized, rabies vaccinated, and ear tipped prior to release.
C. 
If a cat is visibly diseased, injured, or in distress and is not likely to recover or be rehomed, Animal Services, in consultation with a licensed veterinarian, may authorize humane euthanasia.
D. 
Quarterly reporting requirement. Animal Services shall submit a quarterly report to the Township Manager, including:
(1) 
Total number of cats returned to Willingboro.
(2) 
The exact release location(s).
(3) 
Documentation from the contracted Animal Shelter, including intake and release forms.
A. 
A community cat shall be deemed a public nuisance if it:
(1) 
Habitually causes objectionable noise resulting in a serious annoyance to a reasonable person; or
(2) 
Habitually or repeatedly destroys, desecrates, or soils public or private property.
B. 
Complaint process:
(1) 
Animal Control or the Willingboro Police Department shall investigate any alleged violation of this section upon the receipt of two complaints from residents residing in the close vicinity of the alleged violation.
(2) 
Each complaint shall include:
(a) 
The address or specific location of the alleged nuisance;
(b) 
The nature, date, and time of the offense;
(c) 
A description of the cat(s) involved; and
(d) 
The name and address of any known caregiver or custodian, if known.
C. 
Mitigation process:
(1) 
If Animal Services confirms the nuisance condition exists, they may:
(a) 
Request cooperation from the caregiver to resolve the issue;
(b) 
Offer nuisance abatement strategies; and
(c) 
Allow up to 45 days from the date of the initial complaint for resolution.
D. 
If the nuisance is not resolved after 45 days, the specific offending cat(s) may be removed and impounded.