Advocates of a “trap, neuter and return” policy for feral cats discuss the issue with Westlake Police Animal Control Officer Jim Wang at Thursday’s City Council meeting. Police say the current policy of promoting adoption of wild and stray cats is superior. (West Life photo by Kevin Kelley)

Police say cat adoption policy works well
By Kevin Kelley
Westlake
Published May 13, 2009

A group of cat lovers wants the city to release captured wild cats back on the streets once they have been spayed or neutered. But the police chief says the city’s current policy of placing captured cats up for adoption is largely successful. Most residents don’t want wild cats roaming the streets, he added.

Karen Fike, a Westlake resident, was joined by about 40 supporters at Thursday evening’s regular City Council meeting in urging the city to switch to a “trap, neuter and return” (TNR) policy for feral, or wild, cats. She presented council members with binders containing information on the policy and proposed legislation she would like to see the city adopt.

“If you truly want a modern and progressive city in Westlake, then you need to be willing to take the next step — the next step in doing what is right for our animals and for our city,” Fike said.

Under the trap, neuter and return policy, a wild cat is trapped, vaccinated and neutered, then released where it was found. Because the city already traps and neuters stray cats, Fike argued changing the policy would not be burdensome.

“All that is left to do now is to return them to their original colony location where their caregiver continues providing care,” Fike said. “This may just be the dumpster where the cat became accustomed to. Feral colonies that have been TNR’d will not reproduce. Their numbers will decline by natural attrition.”

Fike argued that TNR does not really violate a city ordinance prohibiting the abandonment of an animal.

“How can we technically abandon an animal that does not need to be rescued, does not want our help and is a survivor on its own?” Fike asked. “The feral cat’s worst enemy is not disease, cars or harsh weather, but it is us and the city’s animal warden.”

Allowing cats to roam the suburbs in a wild state is not a problem to Fike.

“Feral cats already have a home,” Fike said. “It is where your warden has picked them up. These cats have reverted to a wild state and do not need your rescue.”

Fike also argued that communities that have adopted a TNR policy have seen populations of feral cats drop by up to 70 percent.

Police Chief Richard Walling countered that most of the cats captured by its animal warden are eventually adopted. Few are euthanized, he said.

Of the 143 cats placed in the police department’s kennel in 2008, 11 were returned to their owners, 119 were adopted, five died and eight were euthanized, Walling said.

“The Westlake Police Department adopts out more cats than all of our neighboring communities put together,” Walling said.

Most animals picked up by the city are captured in response to a citizen complaint, Walling said.

“We do not patrol looking for stray cats,” Walling said.

Current municipal law prohibits animals from roaming the streets, he said.

“Most Westlake residents do not want domestic animals — dogs and cats — running at large,” Walling said.

Jim Wang, the city’s animal control officer, said Westlake doesn’t really have a large feral cat problem.

“Most of the cats we get are free- roaming cats from irresponsible owners and abandoned cats,” Wang said. “We only get one or two feral cats a month.”

Releasing a captured cat back in the same area it was found would not address the resident’s complaint, Wang said.

“When people feed outdoor cats, they also attract many other nuisance animals such as raccoons, skunks, and rodents, and cause them to hang around and cause more resident complaints,” Wang said.

After a captured cat is held for 72 hours, it legally becomes property of the city, Wang said. If it is then released and scratches or bites a person, the city would face a liability issue, Wang said.

Wang acknowledged that in some areas, such as rural or urban areas where there is no animal warden, TNR may have some merit. But it is not needed and will not work in Westlake, he said.

Council President Michael Killeen said Westlake’s program makes more sense and does not favor any changes in city ordinances.

“Is a cat better off being adopted or being returned to the area they came?” Killeen asked. “I think the Westlake program of trap, neuter and adopt is far better for all the cats.”

Killeen said the city would continue discussions with animal rights activists on suggestions over the issue.

Audio files (mp3 files):

• Statement by Karen Fike in favor of TNR
• Statement by Westlake Police Chief Richard Walling
• Statement by Westlake Animal COntrol Officer Jim Wang