Hillside SPCA in North Manheim Township, Schuylkill County, has issued a statement in response to the Pottsville City Council June 10 vote to replace Chapter 87 of the city's code regarding animals, which now makes it illegal to feed stray cats.
“Any persons in the City of Pottsville shall not feed, put out shelter, and/or interact with all outdoor animals, wildlife, suspected strays, etc. Unless working with a licensed animal rescue, state regulatory commission, or city official,” the ordinance now reads. “Exemption for birdhouses in proper repair and using adequate materials for its suspension or foundation.”
The full text of ordinance 920 can be read online at ecode360.com/PO1395/laws/LF2076143.pdf.
“Hillside SPCA was disheartened to learn of Pottsville City Council’s recent ordinance revision banning feeding stray animals within city limits and has received an abundance of calls and emails from concerned citizens and supporters imploring the organization to intervene on behalf of the animals,” Sherrie Schafer, Hillside SPCA manager, said in the statement. “The fact that the penalty was designated at up to $600 or up to 90 days in jail per offense has sparked outrage given the fact that the penalty for violating a summary offense for failing to provide food, water and shelter to an animal, ranges from $50 to $750 and/or up to 90 days in jail, with most offenders rarely seeing jail time.
“Punishing well-meaning citizens of the City of Pottsville is not the answer to this problem. The appropriate solution is a trap-neuter-return, or TNR, program funded by the county, city and boroughs in Schuylkill County. Trap-neuter-return involves humanely trapping a feral cat and taking it to a veterinarian to be spayed/neutered and vaccinated. The cat’s ear is then clipped to identify it as ‘fixed' and the cat is returned to its home outdoors. The procedure typically costs on average $40 - $60 per animal from a participating nonprofit organization such as Greys and Strays, No Nonsense Neutering or Hillside SPCA Veterinary Clinic.”
Schafer explained many Pottsville residents undertake TNR at their own expense to control the community cat population, which is comprised of stray and feral felines. Part of TNR is continuing to feed those cats, which would now put the residents at risk of being fined by the city.
“The ordinance does allow for exceptions for individuals working with ‘approved TNR,' however more clarification on the process is needed,” Schafer wrote. “On behalf of hungry, defenseless animals, Hillside SPCA implores Pottsville City Council to reconsider this ban and seek nonprofit partners with whom they may contract and fund a trap-neuter return program. Hillside SPCA is willing to assist the City of Pottsville with establishing those relationships and launching such a program.”
Feeding community cats also has resulted in fines for some Reading residents, but there is no specifically worded city ordinance preventing feeding. Instead, residents have been cited for “public nuisance animals” and quality of life issues regarding what comes after the feeding — the feces.
National organization Alley Cat Allies touts TNR as the most humane and most effective way to control free-roaming cats, but People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals advocates for euthanasia over TNR and many Audubon Society chapters and the national organization are against TNR. Around the world, it is a topic for debate, with studies done in Australia showing some effectiveness for TNR initiatives.
Groups on both sides of the TNR issue seem to have an oft-repeated similar goal of “sustainably reducing the number of unowned urban stray cats in the long term,” as written in a journal article published on the National Center for Biotechnology Information National Library of Medicine website.