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Page One
June
29, 2009
Lieutenant
Mike Cook
City
of Petaluma Police Department
969
Petaluma Blvd. North
Petaluma,
CA 94952-6320
Dear
Mike,
In
order to help facilitate the completion of the feral cat ordinance, and
knowing
that your schedule is very tight, we have taken the changes and
additions discussed
in our meeting with you, and drafted a revised version of the ordinance
that we
are comfortable with. It includes the
rewriting of the first paragraph, per your instruction, outlines a
colony
tracking system and yearly assessment for success, and identifies areas
where
the living of feral cats is inappropriate to the nature of the area.
We
feel that this reflects the community’s belief that feral cats need to
be
addressed in a cost effective, humane and caring manner and that
caregivers of
the cats are good, compassionate residents of Petaluma who deserve the
respect
and thanks of the City.
Thank
you for working with us on this.
Sincerely,
Jennifer
Kirchner
Forgotten
Felines of Sonoma County
Susan
Simons
Forgotten
Felines of Sonoma County
Marcelle
Guy
PetalumaFeralCats.com
Diane
Reilly Torres
Angela
Zumsteg
2000-04 Animal Services
Advisory Committee Member
Pat Boyd
Save Out Feral Cats
Page Two
July 20, 2009
Dear
Mayor Torliatt, Petaluma Council members and City Manager,
As
a result of a collaboration with representatives from Save our Ferals,
PetalumaFeralCats.com, Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County and concerned
feral
cat
caretakers and Petaluma residents, we are pleased to present you a
proactive
program and ordinance that will save Petaluma taxpayers money.
In
April, several of us met with Mayor Torliatt and voiced our concerns
regarding
the recent proposed changes to the City of Petaluma feral cat
ordinance.
Out of this meeting, we made a pledge to the Mayor to work together in
crafting
a revised version of the ordinance that we believe will work for all
stakeholders and the City. After consulting with Lieutenant Mike
Cook
and
meeting numerous times as a group, we came up with the attached revised
ordinance as well as an Implementation Plan if/when it is approved.
Appreciating
the City’s investment in Shollenberger Park, the new Wastewater
Facility
and a common concern for all animals and wildlife, you’ll note that the
ordinance includes no feeding of feral cats inside Shollenberger or on
any of
the wetlands in the City of Petaluma. Understanding
a city ordinance
cannot conflict with a General Plan the ordinance
contains
the City of Petaluma General Plan 2025 wetlands definition.
Working
with a registered 501c(3) organization and other concerned Petaluma
residents
to reduce the number of feral cats, the time and resources used by
Animal
Services and Animal Control Officers to uphold the current ordinance
should be
greatly reduced. Not having to trap, take in and euthanize
hundreds of
feral cats a year is not only humane but will free up Animal Services
time for
animal adoptions, volunteer recruitment and the other important
services they currently
provide the community.
There
are many Petaluma residents waiting in the wings who have offered to
volunteer,
educate and raise funds once this money saving, life saving, and
forward
thinking ordinance is passed. We alson have a bilingual gentleman
who
has
offered to do outreach in the Latino community. We all look
forward to
implementing the program, are available to answer any questions you may
have
and are anxious to hear when the ordinance will be on the agenda.
Respectfully,
Jennifer
Kirchner
Forgotten
Felines of Sonoma County
Susan
Simons
Forgotten
Felines of Sonoma County
Marcelle
Guy
PetalumaFeralCats.com
Diane
Reilly Torres
Angela
Zumsteg
2000-04 Animal Services
Advisory Committee Member
Pat
Boyd
Save Our Feral Cats
Final Proposed Petaluma Feral Cat Ordinance
9.04.020 Definitions
F.
“Authorized Feral Cat
Care Organization “means any
tax exempt organization under section 501c(3) of the
Internal Revenue Code or similar requirements of section 9.14.010 of
this
chapter and other applicable laws.
P. "Feral
cat" means any
free roaming domestic cat without owner identification
of any kind whose usual and consistent temperament is extreme fear and
resistance to contact with people and is not socialized in accordance
with Food
and Agriculture Code Section 31752.5 subdivision (b) as amended from
time to
time.
DD. “Feral Cat Caregiver” is a volunteer who feeds
feral cat
colonies out of compassion for the cats.
Many work with a tax-exempt organization under section
501c(3) of the
Internal Revenue Code and many work on their own.
S.
"Owner" means any person over
eighteen years of age owning, keeping, harboring or having custody of,
or
possession of, any animal. An animal shall be deemed to be harbored if
it is
fed or sheltered for thirty or more consecutive days, except for feral
cat caregivers.
This definition shall not apply to a
veterinarian in the regular practice of his profession as to any animal
in his
possession while being treated or cared for. This definition shall not
apply to
an operator of a commercial kennel as to any animal that is being
boarded in
the regular practice of his business.
EE.
“Wetlands Definition” For
purposes of this
section the Petaluma Wetlands are defined in the City of Petaluma
General Plan
2025 as “an area at least periodically wet or flooded; where the water
table
stands at or above the land surface (bogs and marshes).
Also those areas that are inundated or
saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency and duration
sufficient to
support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence
of
vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes,
bogs, and similar areas.”
FF. “Feral Cat
Colony” is defined as a
group (1 or more) of feral cats that
have taken up residence in a place where food, water, shelter (not
provided by
humans) is available.
GG.“Trap Neuter Return Maintain” (TNRM) describes a nonlethal sterilization
method to
reduce the number of feral cats. TNRM
involves the following (1)stray and feral cats already living outdoors
are
humanely trapped, vaccinated, and sterilized by veterinarians; (2)
kittens and
cats that can be socialized are adopted into good homes; (3) healthy
adult cats
too feral to be adopted are returned to their familiar habitat under
the care
of a caregiver following current established standards of care; and (4)
cats
that are ill or injured and suffering irremediably are humanely
euthanized.
9.14.110 Feral
cat colony registration: trap, neuter, return, monitor (TNRM) program
A.
The
City of Petaluma, like
many communities throughout the country, has an obligation to
effectively and
humanely control feral cat populations within its borders. Feral cats,
the
direct result of irresponsible cat owners and abandonment, live in
colonies and
are cared for by compassionate caregivers.
The goal of reducing the numbers of feral cats can be
reached through a
Trap, Neuter, Return and Maintenance Program (TNRM).
This is a cost-effective way to reduce feral
cat populations over time without capture and euthanasia.
These goals can be accomplished by feral cat
caregivers working with a 501©(3) Feral Cat Organization and
following
guidelines for proper management of colonies.
B.
All
Authorized Feral Cat
Care Organizations must:
1.
Register
with Animal
Services and provide proof of status as a 501©(3) or comparable
nonprofit
organization;
2.
Submit
a written plan to
Animal Services identifying the organization’s name, project leaders,
objectives, and implementation plans.
3.
Establish
a colony tracking
system, which includes colony location with the number of altered and
unaltered
members. Provide citywide statistics on
the number of cats/kittens altered and removed from colonies for
adoption or
relocation. Provide a yearly assessment
of success for the reduction of feral cat populations.
4.
Collaborate
with City of
Petaluma on a public education program promoting TNRM.
5.
Establish
standardized
colony management guidelines including sterilization, vaccinations,
testing,
ear tipping, feeding and maintenance based upon current recognized
standards of
care and agreed upon by Animal Services and Authorized Feral Cat Care
Organization
6.
Work
in cooperation with
Petaluma Animal Services in response to a complaint or alleged
violation of
law.
C.
This
section is not intended
to prevent a private party from asserting any legal rights to enjoin or
seek
damages resulting from feral cats that adversely affects such person’s
property
interests.
D.
The
City may abate a public
nuisance created by improper colony management on public property in
accordance
with Title 9 of this Code.
E.
Notwithstanding
anything in
this section to the contrary, feeding feral cats is prohibited
1.
In
or within the Petaluma
Wetlands. For purposes of this section
the Petaluma Wetlands is defined in the City’s General Plan 2025.
2.
Inside
Shollenberger Park.
3.
On
private land without
permission from the owner of the land.
9.14.120 Required records for commercial
kennels,
catteries.
Every
commercial kennel, cattery pursuant to this chapter shall keep
available, on
the permitted premises, records available for inspection by the
director. These records shall contain all
of the
following:
A.
The
names, current address,
and telephone number of the owner of each animal at the kennel or
cattery.
B.
The
date each animal entered
the kennel, cattery.
C.
The
reason for each animal
being at the kennel or cattery, such as for boarding, sale, breeding or
grooming.
D.
A
description of each animal
at the kennel or cattery, including age, breed, sex and color.
E.
A
current, valid rabies
certificate for each animal over four months of age at the kennel or cattery.
9.08.210 Feeding of Wildlife
Wildlife is defined to include, but not
limited to, ducks, geese, raccoons, squirrels, skunks, and/or deer.
 Page Four
P.O. Box 6672
Santa Rosa, CA 95406
(707) 576-7999
Current
established standards of care for
feral cat colonies: (7/1/09)
- Caregiver agreement
1.
Willing to make a long term
(lifelong) commitment
to the cats
2.
Has the financial means to
properly care for the
cats
3.
Has established that the
location is a safe
place for a colony to exist
4.
Has permission from property
owner for colony to
exist and be fed in that location
- Proper Colony Management
1.
Fresh food and water daily in
correct
proportions
2.
Maintain a clean, neat feeding
site
3.
Monitor health of all cats and
obtain medical
help when necessary
4.
Remove tame, stray, adoptable
adults from colony
for adoption
5.
Remove feral kittens, when
appropriate, for
taming and adoption
6.
Trap new ferals immediately
for altering and
vaccines
7.
Maintain colony for life of
colony
8.
Ear tipping on all colony
members
Protocols
for removing cats from wetlands
1.
Once
discovered, Animal Services will contact the Authorized Feral Cat
Organization
for trapping and disposition which would include
relocation, adoption, or
euthanasia.
BEWARE
It is good to keep your cat indoor -
What about the one who's home is outdoor?
Select
carefully the
organizations you
donate to. Beware of
organizations that promote "Cats Indoors." The primary purpose of
their lobbying campaign is the elimination of all outdoor cats -
strays, feral and pets. An example of these organizations are:
The American Bird Conservancy (ABC), Point Reyes Bird Observatory
(PRBO), and the Madrone Audubon Society.
PRBO main office
is located into the
Petaluma Wetlands between Ellis Creek and Shollenberger Park.
City of Petaluma, California animal shelter management followed ABC,
PRBO and Madrone Audubon recommendations to draft an ordinance in 2004
and since then they
have been killing thousands of
innocent and homeless cats.
BEWARE, this can
happen in your
city. I
ask that you not give to organizations that call for "Cats
Indoors" - until they unite with others and adopt a humane
solution for
all homeless cats in America.
A
Home for Every Cat
Is our vision realistic?
Our
vision is to have a
community where no kittens are born
wild on the street, where no cat capable of living in a home is lacking
one, and where no adult feral cats go wanting for food, water, and
appropriate care and concern.
Is our vision
realistic? Even in a perfect world it would take a long
time. Cities all around America are working at reducing the
homeless cat populations. Millions cats are homeless in America
and each city, county, state has
an obligation to treat these cats humanely while working together to
reducing the population. Killing cats year
after year is cruel and does not make common sense while they continue
to breed. Petaluma needs to join other cities across America and
endorse a trap, neuter, return program. (TNR)
Some organizations
compaign for "Cats Indoors" is unrealistic, radical and cruel to
all homeless and lost cats. These cats have been victimized
already by being lost or abandoned and to call for all homeless cats to
be trapped or left to die is appalling and distressing. I
ask that you not give to organizations that call for "Cats Indoors
only" - until they unite with others and adopt a humane solution
for
all homeless cats in America.
Cats are
banned from most areas of the City of Petaluma by an ordinance modeled
after "Cats Indoors" organizations such as PRBO and ABC
A
feral cat is a
descendent
of a family pet who became homeless by abandonment or being lost.
They should be trapped,
spay/neutered,
released (TNR) and
a person assigned to their well-being until they die a natural death.
These
cats are our failure to control the population and they deserve humane
treatment.
A
note about keeping
your cats indoors.
Cats under
my care were protected from busy streets by installing a
"cat fence." The cats had access to outdoors but could not get
out of the yard and could not climb trees. The cat fence also
kept other cats from entering the yard. I recommend a cat fence
for homes with cats.
Beware of
organizations that promote "cats-Indoors only"
Before
you donate to an organization, read carefully what they stand
for. If they promote the Cats-Indoors only, think twice before
sending them a donation.
"Cats-Indoors"
propaganda is meant to kill all cats found
outside. Don't buy into it. Fight this aggressively or soon
we will have laws, "Cats Indoors Only" and rats and mice all over the
place.
Cats have
rights, too! They have a place in our ecosystem.
Be their voices and speak up for them.
Note:
Important meeting to attend:
_________
City
of Petaluma Animal Services
Advisory Committee
Meeting:
Wednesday
August 6,
2008 7:00pm
Lucchesi
Center
320 No. McDowell Blvd
Petaluma, California 94954
707-778-4396
Update: August 10, 2008
The
subcommittee submitted their recommendations to Petaluma City
Council.
They recommend to remove
1/2 mile around the wetlands and one block
around city parks.
It is a small victory and
now it is up to Petaluma City Council.
August
27, 2008
According
to Mayor Pamela Torliatt, the ordinance is not
scheduled for consideration, and will not be on the
Council agenda for September or October. So we are looking for a
November or December and could even be a January 2009 decision
with new council in place.
Attention:
Feral cat ordinance
will be decided by Petaluma City
Council, Monday
May 18, 2009 7:00 P.M.
Petaluma City Hall
Come and speak for these homeless cats. (meeting canceled -
again)
11 English
Street
Petaluma, CA 94952
phone: 707.778.4360
fax: 707.778.4554
email: cityclerk@ci.petaluma.ca.us
Contact
Petaluma City Council Members
(Please be polite, but firm when contacting council
members)
elle@svn.net
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