Chapter 6.10
FERAL CATS
Sections:
6.10.050 Standards for permits—Treatment.
6.10.070 Violations and penalties.
6.10.010 Intent and purpose.
The city of Othello finds and declares that the population of stray and feral cats within the city poses a danger to the health, safety, and welfare of the public and constitutes a public nuisance. Accordingly, it is the intent of this chapter to ensure the humane treatment of feral cats and reduce their population by providing standards to restrict the authority of persons to care for and maintain custody of feral cats and by providing for penalties as set forth herein. (Ord. 1568 § 1, 2021).
6.10.020 Definitions.
The following words and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context or language clearly indicates or requires a different meaning:
(a) “Cat” means an animal that is a member of the species Felis catus.
(b) “Ear tip” means identification showing said cat has been sterilized and treated/vaccinated.
(c) “Feral cat” means any cat that is unsocialized to humans, whether the cat was born outside and never socialized with humans or a domesticated cat which has strayed and over time has become unsocialized to humans; any homeless, wild or untamed cat.
(d) “Feral cat caregiver” means any person or organization that, in accordance with these regulations, has a permit issued by the city of Othello to trap, treat, and return feral cats.
(e) “Treat/treatment” means the provision of temporary food, shelter and medical care, including, but not limited to, sterilization, vaccination for rabies and distemper, testing for feline diseases, and ear tip or other humane marking of feral cats which have been treated.
(f) “Social” means exhibiting a temperament of friendliness and willingness towards human contact.
(g) “Unsocialized” means exhibiting a temperament of extreme fear of and resistance to contact with humans. (Ord. 1568 § 1, 2021).
6.10.030 Prohibited acts.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person other than a feral cat caregiver to feed a feral cat.
(b) It shall be unlawful for a feral cat caregiver to feed a feral cat that has not been treated and tipped as provided for in this chapter except during the course of trapping and treating a feral cat in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
(c) It shall be unlawful for any person to release into the wild or otherwise abandon any cat upon that person’s property or the property of another. (Ord. 1568 § 1, 2021).
6.10.040 Permit required.
(a) Any person seeking to be a feral cat caregiver shall submit an application for a feral cat caregiver permit to the animal control officer on a form provided for that purpose, together with any other documents or certifications as may be required pursuant to such application form. Such application form shall require that the applicant comply with the standards for the safe trapping, treatment and return of feral cats that the city of Othello may require by ordinance.
(b) A feral cat caregiver shall give a bi-annual report to the animal control officer that includes documentation of number of cats spayed/neutered and vaccinated, location where the cats were trapped and released and if said cats were male or female.
(c) A permit issued under this chapter does not authorize a feral cat caregiver to enter upon private property without the permission of the landowner.
FERAL CAT CAREGIVER PERMIT APPLICATION
Name of Feral Cat Caregiver: ___________________________________________________________
Address of Feral Cat Caregiver: _________________________________________________________
Daytime Phone Number: _______________________ Email Address: ___________________________
Address where cats will be fed: __________________________________________________________
Are you the owner of this property? YES _____________ NO ______________
If not the owner, do you have permission to feed the feral cats? YES ________ NO _______
*If not the owner, please obtain signed proof of permission from the property owner and attach to this application.
FELINE CAREGIVER INFORMATION
Definitions
Feral Cat—Any cat that is unsocialized to humans, whether the cat was born outside and never socialized with humans or a domesticated cat which has strayed and over time has become unsocialized to humans; any homeless, wild or untamed cat.
Feral Cat Caregiver—Any person or organization that, in accordance with these regulations, who has a permit issued by the City of Othello to trap, treat, and return feral cats.
Instructions and Requirements
1. Any person seeking to be a feral cat caregiver shall submit an application for a feral cat caregiver permit to the Code Enforcement Officer on a form provided for that purpose.
2. Feral cats trapped as part of a permitted program must be sterilized and vaccinated for rabies and distemper prior to release.
3. All feral cats receiving treatment shall be ear-tipped for identification.
4. Treatment of feral cats shall only be performed by a veterinarian currently licensed in the State of Washington.
(Ord. 1568 § 1, 2021).
6.10.050 Standards for permits—Treatment.
(a) Feral cats trapped as part of a permitted program must be sterilized and vaccinated for rabies and distemper prior to release.
(b) All feral cats receiving treatment shall be ear-tipped for identification.
(c) Treatment of feral cats shall only be performed by a veterinarian currently licensed in the state of Washington. (Ord. 1568 § 1, 2021).
6.10.060 Enforcement.
(a) The code enforcement officer, police officers and animal control officers appointed by the city of Othello shall enforce and administer the provisions of this chapter.
(b) Every code enforcement officer, police officer and animal control officer designated by the city is authorized to go upon any premises to seize, detain or impound any cat that poses an imminent risk to the public health, safety or general welfare. (Ord. 1568 § 1, 2021).
6.10.070 Violations and penalties.
Any person or persons violating any provisions of this chapter shall be deemed to have committed a civil infraction and shall be subject to a C-8 penalty. If any violation is continuing, each day’s violation shall be deemed as a separate violation. (Ord. 1568 § 1, 2021).