HomeMy Public PortalAboutORD15898 BILL NO. 2018-117
SPONSORED BY Councilman Graham
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF JEFFERSON, MISSOURI, ADDING A NEW
ARTICLE GOVERNING THE PERMITTING AND CARE OF COMMUNITY CATS.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
JEFFERSON, MISSOURI, AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Chapter 5 (Animals) Article III (Community Cats) is created as follows:
ARTICLE III. COMMUNITY CATS
Sec. 5-70.Definitions.
"Colony" means a community of animals of one kind living close together or forming a
physically connected structure.
"Community Cat" means an unowned, free-roaming cat, 12 weeks of age or older, that is
cared for la one or more persons residing or working in the immediate area who are known or
unknown. A community cat may or may not be feral.
"Community Cat Caretaker" means a person who possesses a valid permit and provides
care that includes providing food, shelter, or medical care to a community cat or a colony of
community cats. A community cat caretaker is not the owner or harborer of a community cat.
"Eartipping" means the deliberate removal of no more than one-quarter of an inch from
the tip of the left ear of a community cat, performed12y a licensed veterinarian while the cat is
under anesthesia. Eartips may be used to identify a community cat as being sterilized and lawfully
vaccinated for rabies and does not serve as proof of a current rabies vaccination.
"Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)" means the process of humanely trapping, sterilizing,
vaccinating for rabies,eartipping,and returning a community cat to their original location.
Sec. 5-71.Feeding community cats without a permit.
No person shall provide food, water, or other forms of sustenance to a community cat or a
community cat colony without a community cat caretaker permit.
Sec. 5-72. Community Cat Caretaker Permit.
a) Any organization or individual aged eighteen (18) years or older may submit an
application to the animal control division for a community cat caretaker permit. The
application shall be on a form provided12y the division and shall provide the following
information:
Editor's note: Deleted language shown thus. Added language shown thus.
1) A detailed description of the cats in the colony along with photographs;
2) Proof that the cats in the colonv have been eartipped, neutered, or spayed and
vaccinated against rabies at the time of surgery or as the opportunity arises, or that
there~ an active TNR effort toward the colony;
3) The address of the property where the colony will be maintained;
4) Contact information for the applicant and any other information that may be
r·equired bv the division.
b) Community cat caretaker permits shall be issued for.!!. period of two ill years.
c) An animal control officer may inspect the property where the community cats will be
maintained.
Sec. 5-73. Requirements for Care of Community Cats.
Ever-v person issued.!!. community cat caretaker permit shall comply with the following:
a) Regularly feed the cat colony, including weekends and holidays. Food must be placed in
bowls, and all emptv food cans and bags must be removed.
b) All cats must be spayed or neutered, or TNR efforts must be in process.
c) All tr·apped cats shall be identified Q.y tipping their ears
d) All cats shall be vaccinated for rabies.
e) Maintain records on the location and size of the colonies as well as the vaccination, ear
tipping, and spav and neuter records of the colonv cats. Such records must be submitted
to Animal Control upon request.
1) Take all reasonable steps to remove kittens at six ~ to eight .@} weeks of age from the
colony after they have been weaned and capture and m..!!Y the mother cat.
g) Obtain medical attention for any colony cat that exhibits illness, signs of rabies, or
unusual behavior and remove the cat from the colonv to prevent disease or injury to
other cats in the colony.
h) Wher·e feasible, report the number of cats that died or othenvise ceased to be.!!. part of
the colonv and the number of cats placed in animal shelters or permanent homes.
i) Anv shelters or structures placed for the animals in the colony must be in compliance
with the Citv Code.
Sec. 5-74. Permit Duration.
The permit shall be valid for two ill years.
Editor's note: Deleted language shown tffiffi. Added language shown thus.
Sec. 5-75. Revocation of Permit.
a) The animal control division may revoke the community cat caretaker permit of any
permit holder for any of the following reasons:
1) Conviction of or a plea of guilty to any violation of this Chapter or any other animal
statute or ordinance;
2) Failure of the permit holder or property owner to permit an animal control officer
to inspect the property at which the community colony is located;
3) Failure or inability of the permit holder to provide care for the community cat
colony as required la Section 5-73 above;
4) The size of the community cat colony has increased l ten (10) cats or to such
numbers that the colony is a health hazard or interferes with the peace or quiet of
any City of Jefferson resident;
5) The permit holder has a balance due and owing to the City of Jefferson that has
remained unpaid for at least forty-five(45)days.
b) Within sixty (60) days of the revocation of permits the former permit holder shall
relocate the colony to the care of one or more community cat caretaker permit holders.
Sec. 5-76. Violations.
Any violation of this Article shall be a general ordinance violation subject to the penalties
prescribed in Section 1-13 of the City Code.
Section 2. This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after the date
of its passage and approval.
Passed:k-414MiCI? r/13 AgOiq Approved: f q()0 0
abcv,,u,
PresidingOfficer
Carrie Tergin, Mayor
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Clerk City ounselor
Editor's note: Deleted language shown thus. Added language shown thus.