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Home My WebLink AboutCLD-016-16 Llarington Irk' Report If this information is required in an alternate accessible format, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator at 905-623-3379 ext. 2131. Report To: General Government Committee Date of Meeting: April 18, 2016 Report Number: CLD-016-16 Resolution: G(n r QVD-1 File Number: By-law Number: Report Subject: Feral Cats Recommendations: 1. That Report CLD-016-16 be received; 2. That the draft by-law, being Attachment 1 to Report CLD-016-16, be approved to provide specific amendments to the Responsible Pet Owners' By-law 2013-024, to exempt feral cats from the licensing requirements, and to delete feral cats from the at large definition provided they meet specified identification and spay/neuter criteria; and 3. That all interested parties listed in Report CLD-016-16 and any delegations be advised of Council's decision. Municipality of Clarington Report CLD-016-16 Page 2 Report Overview This Report provides the background details to support the necessary amendments to the current Responsible Owners' Pet By-law 2013-024 to allow Trap Neuter Release (TNR) groups to successfully operate without infringing on residents rights to enjoyment of property, without impacting current Animal Services service level standards; while providing a more humane alternative for feral cats. 1 . Background On January 18, 2016, the Council of the Municipality of Clarington approved resolution #GG-025-16: That Report CLD-002-16 be received; That Council approve a Trap Neuter Release (TNR) program, in principle; That the Animal Services Manager and Shelter Staff be authorized to work with TNR interest groups and utilize established working group's findings to establish a TNR program that is suitable to all of Clarington's Residents; and That all interested parties listed in Report CLD-002-16." The Animal Services Manager met with staff from surrounding municipalities, Denise Harkins (Action Volunteers for Animals) and Martin Field (PAWS-4 Animals) in an effort to gather further information regarding TNR programs and to consider options for the program scope. It has been determined that the greatest barrier to implementing a successful TNR program is that there is/has been no distinction between feral or owned cats in the regulatory by-laws. To successfully operate a TNR Program, feral cats must be exempt from current by-laws. The Durham Humane Society, in partnership with Toronto Humane Society, has recently introduced a Spay/Neuter transport service model. With this model, individuals wishing to work with feral cat colonies (eg. Action Volunteers for Animals and PAWS-4 Animals) may apply for certification with an approved agency and once certified, those individuals may trap and take advantage of the Spay/Neuter transport services at no cost. 2. Discussion In discussion with surrounding municipalities it was widely agreed that there were limited statistics justifying the need to support TNR programs within Durham Region. That said, in areas where TNR programs are well established and policy changes have been adjusted to limit intake and provide alternate options for feral cats, statistics are supportive of Trap Neuter Release programs. Staff found that TNR programs were successful in municipalities where their regulatory by-laws were amended to explicitly speak to feral cats and in municipalities where the regulatory by-laws were not amended Municipality of Clarington Report CLD-01616 Page 3 but rather through changes to their operational actions and broad interpretations of their by-laws. Statistics were provided in Report CLD-002-16 on the intake of feral cats at the Clarington Animal Shelter, but it is difficult to clearly identify calls specifically related to feral cats. While feral cats are not a major issue in Clarington, admittedly there are feral cat colonies within our Municipality. Staff believe that the TNR program in Clarington should be scaled proportionately to the volume of colonies. As such, staff are recommending a TNR program where feral cats will be acknowledged as being different from owned or stray cats, and where members of the public desiring to work with feral cats may trap, facilitate at their own expense (or if certified, take advantage of the Durham Humane Society Spay/Neuter transport program) the spay/neuter, microchipping, and clipping of ears, and then release back into the colony. The program will only address feral cats. It should be noted that feral cats which have gone through the TNR program may be permitted to continue to reside in their colony provided they are not disturbing residents' enjoyment of their property. Staff are confident that this program will achieve the goals of establishing and providing for a successful TNR Program while minimizing the impact on staff resources and budget implications. To implement this program, the following amendments are required to Clarington's Responsible Pet Owners' By-law 2013-024.- Section 013-024:Section 1. Definitions — Add Feral Cat. Feral cats must be clearly defined to differentiate between feral and an owned pet cat or stray. This distinction will assist staff in managing calls regarding cats at large. To qualify as a feral cat and to be permitted to be at large must be easily identified by way of: Spayed/Neutered, ear clipped, microchipped and vaccinated. Section 2. Licensing — Exempt Feral Cats. All pets must be licensed under the current by-law. While a person or organization may choose to work with a feral cat colony to take them through the TNR program, they are not taking ownership of those cats. Thus, there is no "owner" per se. The by-law needs to be amended to provide for a licensing exemption for feral cats which have gone through the TNR Program. Exempting licensing fees for feral cats will have no impact on Animal Licensing Revenues. Section 3. Cats At Large — Exempt Feral Cats. Currently all cats are deemed at large if not on an owner's property or a permitted area. The by-law requires an exemption to permit feral cats who have gone through the TNR program to be permitted to reside in their colony. Notwithstanding this amendment, the feral cat will only be permitted to reside in the colony provided that it is not posing a nuisance. Staff anticipate that the implementation of the TNR program as described above, along with the necessary amendments to the Responsible Pet Owner By-law, will positively impact the Animal Shelter operations through decreased cat intakes, alternatives to euthanasia, and provide alternate options for concerned residents regarding feral cats. Through policy and education, staff would be able to provide literature to residents on the benefits of a TNR program. Municipality of Clarington Report CLD-016-16 page 4 3. Concurrence The details of this proposed TNR program have been shared with representatives from Action Volunteers for Animals and PAWS-4 Durham who expressed their support. 4. Conclusion The goals of TNR programs are to reduce shelter intake, reduce euthanasia rates of feral cats, and assist in limiting complaints of negative behaviours associated with un-fixed feral cats. The goals of a TNR program parallel with the goals of the Clarington Animal Shelter and will positively impact Shelter operations without increasing service level standards or expenses. It is respectfully recommended amendments to the Responsible Pet By-law as detailed above and included in the draft by-law being Attachment 1 to this Report, be approved to facilitate the implementation of the proposed TNR program for Clarington. 5. Strategic Plan Application Not applicable. (7) Submitted by".-Anne `' Reviewed by: " reentree Franklin Wu, Municipal Clerk Chief Administrative Officer Staff Contact: Anne Greentree, Municipal Clerk, 905-623-3379 ext. 2102 or agreentree@clarington.net Attachments: Attachment#1 Draft Amending By-law The following is a list of the interested parties to be notified of Council's decision: Denise Harkins, Action Volunteers for Animals M.J. Galaski, Animal Rescue Krew Cathy Asling and Denise Dove, The Animal Guardian Society Sharon Carrs, Cat Town Rescue Martin Field, PAWS-4 Durham CAG/DA Attachment#1 to CLD-016-16 THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON BY-LAW No. 2016- Being a by-law to amend Responsible Pet Owners By-law No. 2013-024 WHEREAS the Council of The Corporation of the Municipality of Clarington deems it desirable to amend Responsible Pet Owners By-law No. 2013-024. NOW THEREFORE be it enacted that By-law 2013-024 be amended as follows: 1. Section 1 Definitions be amended to add: "feral cat" means a cat that lives primarily exclusively outdoors with limited human contact and is un-socialized; 2. Section 2 Licensing be amended to add: Exemptions: 2.13 Notwithstanding section 2.1, a feral cat that is spayed/neutered, ear clipped, microchipped and vaccinated is exempt from the licensing requirement. 3. Section 3 Regulations be amended to add: 3.7.1 A feral cat that is spayed/neutered, ear clipped, microchipped, vaccinated and not interfering with a resident's enjoyment of property is not deemed to be at large. 4. This by-law comes into effect on the date of its passing. PASSED this 2nd day of May, 2016. Adrian Foster, Mayor Anne Greentree, Municipal Clerk