Friday, April 26, 2024
The Gatesville City Council approved an ordinance which updates the definition and owner responsibility regarding dangerous dogs and also addresses the issue of numerous cats roaming city streets.
"We took a 30-day pause for the animal advisory committee to meet," said City Manager Bill Parry. One change is that references to feral cats were changed to community cats. The reason is some of the stray cats do not fit the definition of feral. They are domesticated animals, but do not have an owner.
Dangerous dogs are defined as animals that make "An unprovoked attack on a person that causes bodily injury and occurs in a place other than an enclosure in which the dog was being kept.”
Gatesville Police Chief Nathan Gohlke said the city is in line to receive funding to help pay for the community cat issue.
"We could get a possible grant for $26,000 to help us manage our (stray) cat population," he said. The animal advisory committee includes representatives from both Gatesville veterinary clinics.
"This grant would allow us to take the cats we impound and have them spayed or neutered and returned to the community," Gohlke said. "Part of the grant will allow us to purchase deterrents we can loan out to those who don't want cats on their property."
Mayor Pro Tem Meredith Rainer asked what type of deterrents would be available.
Gohlke said while he did not know specifics, he believes there are devices that can be hooked up to sprinklers or noise makers that could chase cats from properties.
"It does give us an opportunity to have cats spayed or neutered at a local veterinary clinic and then returned to the community," Gohlke said. "Part of the process is to have the cats vaccinated.
"We have a lot of (stray) cats roaming around the community and $26,000 will only allow us to do about 200 cats each year. Hopefully it will take off and people will do this (spay or neuter cats) on their own. The grant is renewable for a year, but we have to show we are working on the problem and not just euthanizing (the stray cats)."
Gohlke said there is tracking software that will help the city keep up with the location of community cats better, and said the cats will be tattooed or earmarked when they are picked up.
Councilwoman Barbara Burrow asked if traps were the way cats were collected and if the city had sufficient traps available.
"Yes, and the grant will help us buy more," Gohlke said. "We won't be able to do everything with this grant but it will help us." He added that the traps would only be put on Sunday night or Monday through Thursday to avoid a cat being trapped without access to food or water for a prolonged period.
"This sounds well thought out," Burrow said.
The Council approved the amended ordinance.
