The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Residents who feed stray cats without registering them with the Township face fines of up to $500 under an ordinance amendment introduced at the August 12 Township Council meeting.
The amendment, if adopted, would also require those taking care of stray cat “colonies” to have them spayed or neutered, given veterinary care when needed, given rabies vaccinations, and, if they move, find someone to take care of them.
The amendment is a slightly modified version of one tabled at the July 8 Council meeting. Some Council members, led by Ram Anbarasan (D-At Large) said they wanted to get more input on the rules before voting on them.
Under the new regulations, residents who feed stray cats would have to provide the township with the colony’s location, photos of the cats in the colony, proof that the cats have been spayed or neutered, proof of the cats’ “ear tipping,” and proof that the cats have been vaccinated for rabies.
“The Animal Control Officer may grant exemptions for rabies vaccination if the owner has made reasonable attempts to re-trap cats and if the risk to public health is deemed low,” according to the proposed amendment.
There would be no fee to register a cat colony.
Individual property owners would be responsible for registering cat colonies on their property, while homeowners associations would be responsible for registering cat colonies in their developments.
The “owner” of the colony must also make sure the cats under their care do not cause a nuisance, or face having them removed by the Animal Control Officer.
Food must be left on plates or bowls and can only be left out for one hour, according to the proposed amendment.
The proposed amendment also contains an abandonment clause which states: “It shall be considered animal abandonment if an owner, by direct or indirect means, willfully or negligently abandons any cat or colony within Franklin Township. This includes circumstances such as moving, selling, eviction, or ceasing care of the colony. In the event of the owner’s death, the land or property owner shall assume responsibility for the colony.”
Council member Ed Potosnak said that a caretaker could take the cats to a shelter, find another caretaker or, in the case of a home sale, leave them for the new owners.
First offense carries a $100 fine, second offense carries a $200 fine, and third and subsequent offenses carry a $500 fine, according to the amendment.
“Upon a third or subsequent conviction for a violation of this article, the Court may order the surrender of all cats in the colony to the Animal Control Office at the colony owner’s expense,” according to the amendment.
Anbarasan said the amendment was “tightened up” to his satisfaction.
“We have strengthened the ordinance so that we try to eliminate the loopholes that could have affected properties and the neighbors,” he said. “So, now we have kind of tightened it up so that it becomes easier for people to report, and then enforcement actions could be implemented much better.”
Anbarasan said the amendment doesn’t require police officers to see actual feeding for a violation to be issued.
“We can find evidence of feeding, that should be enough for taking action,” he said.
Anbarasan said the object of the amendment is to make it “onerous” for people to feed cats, forcing the cats to hunt for their food. Over time, he said, the feral population will diminish.
Another purpose of the amendment, Anbarasan said, is to discourage people from abandoning their domesticated cats.
“And our hope is that this ordinance will discourage from that happening,” he said. “Because right now people just feel they can just abandon a cat and somebody else will feed them. This is probably going to discourage them from doing that, knowing that they are doing a disservice to the cats.”
Several people – residents and non-residents – spoke out in favor and opposing the amendment prior to the Council’s vote.
Several people – residents and non-residents – spoke out in favor and opposing the amendment prior to the Council’s vote.
Rob Johnson of Franklin Park said opponents of the amendment don’t take into account the “cost to people who are not involved in this.”
“Breezeways in condo buildings end up costing money to clean up,” he said. “The people mean well, it’s just not sustainable and right for people who don’t choose to be involved.”
Danielle Rice of Stockton told the Council that bans such as that in the amendment do not work.
“On the surface, this ordinance appears well-intentioned,” she said. “However, in my opinion, this ordinance does nothing to address these concerns. This will be punishing to cats in your community and to the people who care for them.”
“Hungry cats don’t just disappear,” she said. The abrupt removal of food sources create desperate, hungry cats who attempt to feed from dumpsters, beg for food, and try to enter people’s homes, thus increasing nuisance behaviors and human-cat interaction, which can be a public health hazard.”
The amendment also adds language banning the feeding of wildlife, except for water. The amendment also provides an exception for feeding birds, so long as bird feeders are placed at least five feet off the ground and any spilled bird seed is “promptly” cleaned up, and for feeding fish in ponds or lakes, trap baiting or feeding wildlife “in accordance with the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife provisions.”
The amendment comes up for a public hearing and final vote at the Council’s September 9 meeting.
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