T-N-R First organizing meeting

Trap-Neuter-Return is a full management plan in which stray and feral cats already living outdoors in cities, towns, and rural areas are humanely trapped, then evaluated, vaccinated, and sterilized by veterinarians. Kittens and tame cats are adopted into good homes. Healthy adult cats unable to be socialized to humans are returned to safe habitats with shelter under the lifelong care of volunteers. If you are interested in helping us start a T-N-R program in the Alleghany Highlands, please call 962-1980 and/or attend a meeting at 12 noon at the Charles. P. Jones Memorial Library’s Community Room on January 12, 2008.

Save this Cat

Alley Cat Allies has made a YouTube video to educate the public to share the sad truth about feral cats: all over the country, healthy feral cats are being trapped and killed as local goverments try to control their numbers. Their mission, like ours, is to build a movement to stop the killing and start humane care.

Check it out: http://youtube.com/watch?v=SnJCYApTrww

goodbye kitty

Realistically, over 12 years one unspayed female cat with all her unspayed female offspring can reasonably be expected to be responsible for over 3200 kittens if there is no human intervention. Our goal, as Alley Cat Angels, is to promote the non-lethal control of feral cats by utilizing a trap, spay/neuter, and release program.

Like many other counties the current plan to handle these feral cats is through euthanasia (please see below for actual ordinance information). The flaw is that this tactic doesn't rid the area of feral cats. As soon as one is removed from the area, another cat will typically take over the abandoned territory and food source. Statistics show that over time trap/neuter/release programs, if properly maintained, are more effective in controlling feral cat populations.

Feral cats are a direct result of irresponsible human owners who do not have their own pets spayed/neutered, so we feel it is also our responsibility to help get the problem we have started under control. (As our friends at Alley Cat Allies say:) Unless the cat is making an unusual pest out of itself, why should a wild animal be euthanized simply for not having a human address?
According the the Municipal Code in the City of Covington and Clifton Forge, this is exactly what will happen...and we want to change their minds!

Municipal Code of the City of Covington – Clifton Forge also has similar cat ordinances:

CHAPTER 4

ANIMALS AND FOWL*

Art. I. In General, Section 4-1 - 4-35

Art II. Dogs and Cats, Section 4-36 - 4-105

Div. 1. Generally, Section 4-36 - 4-65

Div. 2. License, Section 4-66 - 4-84

Div. 3 Dangerous and Vicious Dogs, Section 4-85 – 4-105

Art III. Rabies Control, Section 4-106 - 4-113

Sec. 4-40. Running at large prohibited.

All owners or custodians of dogs and/or cats located within the city shall keep such dogs and/or cats on the premises of such owners or custodians and shall not permit such dogs and/or cats to go at large, whether licensed by the city or not; provided, however, that dogs and/or cats in the city shall be allowed off the premises of such owners or custodians when under the full and immediate control of their owners or custodians by physical means of restraint.

(Code 1975, Section 4-25)

State law reference - Authority of city to prohibit dogs from running at large, Code of Virginia, Section 3.1-796.93.

Sec. 4-41.1 Cats running at large to be impounded,

The animal control officer and any other official designated by the city may capture and impound any cat found running at large within the city, whether or not such cat is licensed by the

city pursuant to this article. The officer seizing any cat and officials of the pound shall follow the procedures established for impounded dogs by sections 4-42, 4-43, 4-44 and 4-45 of this chapter in keeping and disposing of any impounded cat.

(Code 1975, Section 4-25)

State law reference - Authority of city to prohibit dogs from running at large, Code of Virginia, Section 3.1-796.93.

Sec. 4-42. Disposition of unlicensed dogs of unknown ownership found running at large.

Except as provided in Code of Virginia, Section 3.1-796.96, it shall be the duty of the animal control officer to confine in the city pound for not less than five days any dog of unknown ownership found running at large for which a license fee has not been paid; provided, however, that the animal control officer may deliver such dog to any person in this city who will pay the required license fee on such dog, with the dog and proves his ownership, he may recover such dog by paying to the person to whom it was delivered by the animal control officer the amount of the license fee paid by him and a reasonable charge for the keep of the dog while in his possession.

(Code 1975, Section 4-27)

Sec. 4-43. Notice of impounded dog.

Any dog impounded for running at large shall be held for a minimum period of five days, such period to commence on the day immediately following the day the animal is initially confined in the facility, unless sooner claimed by the owner thereof. The animal control officer or other officer designated by the city council shall make a reasonable effort to ascertain whether the dog has a collar, tag, license, tattoo or other form of identification. If such identification is found on the dog, the dog shall be held for an additional five days, unless sooner claimed by the rightful owner. If the rightful owner of the dog can be readily identified or is known, the animal control officer or other officer designated by the city council, in addition to a written record kept by the pound of information on each animal submitted to the pound, shall make a reasonable effort to notify such owner within 48 hours, which notice shall state the sex and give a reasonable description of the dog impounded.

Sec. 4-44. Redemption of impounded dogs.

During the period that a dog is impounded pursuant to this division, such dog may be returned to the owner thereof upon reasonable proof of ownership, provided that the owner produces an impounding penalty of $5.00, together with a charge of $1.00 per day, or a fraction of a day, for the board of such dog while impounded, and produces satisfactory evidence that the dog has been inoculated or vaccinated in accordance with this article. Such costs shall be paid to the central accounting office, and the receipt for such costs, together with the license tag for such dog if such dog is unlicensed, shall be presented to the official in charge of the dog pound before such dog is released.

(Code 1975, Section 4-29)

Sec. 4-45. Disposition of unredeemed impounded dogs.

If any dog impounded for running at large is not claimed by its owner within a period of days as provided in sections 4-42 and 4-43, it may be humanely destroyed or disposed of by sale or gift to a federal agency, state-supported institution, agency of the state, agency of another state, or a licensed federal dealer having its principal place of business located within the state, provided that such agency, institution or dealer agrees to confine the animal for an additional period of not less than five days, or by delivery to any local humane society, shelter, or to any person who is a resident of the city and who will pay the costs of impounding such dog, as provided in section 4-44, and who will purchase a license for such dog and have such dog inoculated or vaccinated in accordance with this article.

(Code 1975, Section 4-30)