City of Norwich to hold public hearing to ban feeding feral cats
NORWICH – The City of Norwich has proposed fining people who feed feral cats.
City of Norwich residents can voice their opinions about a proposed animal ordinance, which would aim to reduce the city’s feral cat population by fining those who leave out food for the animals, at a public hearing on Tuesday, April 2.
The public hearing will take place at 6:30 p.m. on April 2, prior to the city’s joint committees meeting at One City Court Plaza in Norwich. City taxpayers can weigh in on the proposed ordinance, which would make it a violation to feed any species of wildlife or cats in a manner that creates unclean conditions, results in the accumulation of feces, or attracts other wildlife.
The proposed ordinance comes after months of brainstorming by city officials as they look for ways to mitigate the city’s feral cat population, particularly in wards 4, 5, and 6, which city residents have complained about to council members on several occasions.
If approved, the ordinance would make it a code violation to feed feral cats. The minimum fine would be $50 for the first offense, $100 for the second offense, and $200 for the third and subsequent offenses within a year of the previous violation. For each offense, the violator would be given a week to correct it. In the event penalties reached $1,000, the offender may be issued a court appearance ticket.
City of Norwich Ward 6 Alderman Robert Jeffrey said he thinks the ordinance is long overdue. “This is a significant issue to many people,” said Jeffrey. “We hope that this is the first step to resolving this issue. And this isn’t an anti-cat issue, this is a health and safety issue.”
Before council members made a motion to hold the public hearing for the proposed ordinance, Jeffrey said the city received a letter of support from the Chenango County Health Department.
According to the city officials, there is a large population of feral cats that have become the subject of city residents’ complaints, voiced by council members during ward reports. The feral cats have reportedly destroyed residents’ gardens by defecating and trampling over them, and also have given birth on people’s property.
City officials believe the population has grown as a result of some city residents feeding the feral cats.
Jeffrey said council members have looked into a number of options as to how to lower the city’s feral cat population, including a potential catch-and-release spay and neuter program, but noted state law limits what options municipalities have in finding a solution. He encouraged city residents to ensure their cats are spayed or neutered before being let outside.
“Basically state law dictates what municipalities can and cannot do in terms of spay and neuter,” said Jeffrey. “So we wanted to take action and see how this works, and we can always make improvements. This is one thing we all agreed upon, the second step is something that we need to work on.”
City of Norwich residents can voice their opinions about a proposed animal ordinance, which would aim to reduce the city’s feral cat population by fining those who leave out food for the animals, at a public hearing on Tuesday, April 2.
The public hearing will take place at 6:30 p.m. on April 2, prior to the city’s joint committees meeting at One City Court Plaza in Norwich. City taxpayers can weigh in on the proposed ordinance, which would make it a violation to feed any species of wildlife or cats in a manner that creates unclean conditions, results in the accumulation of feces, or attracts other wildlife.
The proposed ordinance comes after months of brainstorming by city officials as they look for ways to mitigate the city’s feral cat population, particularly in wards 4, 5, and 6, which city residents have complained about to council members on several occasions.
If approved, the ordinance would make it a code violation to feed feral cats. The minimum fine would be $50 for the first offense, $100 for the second offense, and $200 for the third and subsequent offenses within a year of the previous violation. For each offense, the violator would be given a week to correct it. In the event penalties reached $1,000, the offender may be issued a court appearance ticket.
City of Norwich Ward 6 Alderman Robert Jeffrey said he thinks the ordinance is long overdue. “This is a significant issue to many people,” said Jeffrey. “We hope that this is the first step to resolving this issue. And this isn’t an anti-cat issue, this is a health and safety issue.”
Before council members made a motion to hold the public hearing for the proposed ordinance, Jeffrey said the city received a letter of support from the Chenango County Health Department.
According to the city officials, there is a large population of feral cats that have become the subject of city residents’ complaints, voiced by council members during ward reports. The feral cats have reportedly destroyed residents’ gardens by defecating and trampling over them, and also have given birth on people’s property.
City officials believe the population has grown as a result of some city residents feeding the feral cats.
Jeffrey said council members have looked into a number of options as to how to lower the city’s feral cat population, including a potential catch-and-release spay and neuter program, but noted state law limits what options municipalities have in finding a solution. He encouraged city residents to ensure their cats are spayed or neutered before being let outside.
“Basically state law dictates what municipalities can and cannot do in terms of spay and neuter,” said Jeffrey. “So we wanted to take action and see how this works, and we can always make improvements. This is one thing we all agreed upon, the second step is something that we need to work on.”
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