The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Proposed rules that would require township residents who feed feral cats to take “ownership” of them were tabled at the July 8 Township Council meeting.
The Council voted 5-3 to support a motion made by Councilman Ram Anbarasan to to table the rules, contained in an ordinance amendment, until the Council could “get more input” on them.
The amendment would require anyone feeding a single or multiple cat colony to capture the cats, get them vaccinated and spayed or neutered, and register the colony and its location with the Township annually.
The cats would not be allowed to disturb anyone on public or private property, and if they did, the “owner” of the colony would have to mitigate the situation.
Fines for violations of the ordinance would be up to $100 for a first offense, up to $200 for a second offense and up to $500 for any further violations.
Mayor Phil Kramer said the rules were necessary to decrease the practice of feeding feral cats.
“And what we’re basically saying is, you can feed a cat, but you own it then,” he said. “That cat is yours, and you can’t just decide, I’m gonna feed it on Tuesdays.”
“You are responsible for the cat,” Kramer said.
The proposed ordinance specifies that in the case of housing developments, the homeowners association or property management company would be responsible for the cats.
“So, if you live in an HOA, and you want them to have cats, a cat colony, then the HOA’s gotta get the license,” Kramer said. “And I just don’t think they will.”
The proposed ordinance would not apply to people leaving water out for animals, nor would it apply to baited traps.
Bird feeders would be allowed, so long as they are at least five feet tall, and the owner cleans up and bird seed that spills.
The proposed rules did not sit well with Anbarasan.
“So I have concerns about this, and I think, rather than rushing into it and doing something that then we regret at a later date, should we kind of discuss this more, or maybe delay it a little bit, and get more input, and have more discussions?” Anbarasan said.
Anbarasan said that his problems with the proposed ordinance are that cats don’t know boundaries and the colony could move, and also with enforcement issues.
“Are we going to open up Pandora’s box?” he asked. “Are we gonna have hundreds of calls for enforcement with neighbors complaining on each other? And are we prepared to handle that?”
Township Manager Robert Vornlocker said the ordinance would be enforced by township police, adding that the officer would have to see the colony.
“What this does is while it gives a certain amount of latitude to someone who wants to honestly take on a great responsibility, because it is a great responsibility, this ordinance says that that cat colony is yours forever,” he said. “There is no getting out from it. So that means the moment that you make that conscious decision to own these cats, they are yours forever until they all die.”
“So that’s a lifetime commitment,” he said. “And I don’t know how many people will be willing to take on that that responsibility.”
Anbarasan moved that the ordinance be tabled, and Deputy Mayor Shepa Uddin seconded.
Anbarasan, Uddin, Councilwoman Kimberly Francois, Councilman Alex Kharazi, and Councilman Charles Onyejiaka voted yes, while Kramer, Council member Ed Potosnak and Councilman James Vassanella voted no.
Stay ‘In the Know,’ subscribe to the Franklin Reporter & Advocate!
No other media outlet covering Franklin Township brings you the depth of information presented by the Franklin Reporter & Advocate. Period. We are the only truly independent media serving the Eight Villages.
But we can only do that with your support. Please consider a yearly subscription to our online news site; at $37 a year, it’s one of the best investments you can make for yourself.
To subscribe, please click here.
