TO: Mayor and Commissioners
FROM: Sammie L. Walthour, Director, Neighborhood & Community Services
THROUGH: Terrence R. Moore, ICMA-CM, City Manager
DATE: October 5, 2021
Title
UPDATE REGARDING TRAPPING COMMUNITY CATS
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Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Motion to approve the allocation of $25,000.00 to the Neighborhood and Community Services Department to plan and implement a community cats trap-neuter-vaccinate-return (TNVR) program, in partnership with local volunteer cat caregivers, Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control, Peggy Adams Animal Rescue and 501 (c) (3) entities licensed to provide TNVR services.
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Background:
In response to concerns raised about community cats and the need to respond humanly and proactively, contact has been made to the Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control, Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League and Purzzilla Cat Rescue, Inc., to explore the establishment of a TNVR program in the City of Delray Beach.
The Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control Ordinance 98-22 SEC 4-35, governs community cat requirements. In part, the ordinance stipulates that:
1. All community cats must be cared for on private property of the caregiver or the permission of the property owner or property manager.
2. All community cat caregivers shall have all un-owned free roaming cats within their care sterilized, implanted with a EAID (microchip), vaccinated against rabies, and ear-tipped for east identification.
3. All community cat caregivers are required to provide certain necessities to each community cat under his/her care on a regular/ongoing basis, including but not limited to, proper nutrition, adequate quantities of visibly clean and fresh water and medical care as needed...
4. Community cat caregivers shall make reasonable attempts to remove young kittens from the field for domestication...
Through the City's preliminary communication with representatives of Palm Beach County Animal Control and Care, the scope of existing community cat efforts was explained. Emphasis placed on local volunteer community cat caregivers as the core of existing programs. The County committed to connect with its outreach manager to provide the City with literature TNVR and reach out to Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League for additional information that may benefit in the development a program.
It is anticipated that the funding allocated for a TNVR program would be used to facilitate the purchase of traps, offset the cost of spaying/neutering, vaccinations, and as appropriate, securing vendors to perform TNVR services as well any other ancillary requirements.
City Attorney Review:
N/A
Funding Source/Financial Impact:
General Fund. The Department will seek a budget amendment during the 2021-2022 fiscal year.
Timing of Request:
None