Wild cats may now be legally trapped – by registered volunteers – under the amended animal control ordinance approved by the City Council on Aug. 5 for the singular purpose of neutering, vaccinating and registering the animals.
Under the new ordinance, TNR – trap, neuter and release – is legal in Leander by registered volunteers who, after catching the feral cats, have them neutered, ear tipped, vaccinated against rabies and microchipped.
Volunteers must register with a non-profit agency and keep a detailed list including the colony location, number of cats in the colony, and paperwork of the microchip and rabies registration.
The nuisance animal portion of the ordinance remains in place, said Councilman Carl Wake, who led the task force that studied the issue during the last two months.
Animal control officers will still respond to calls about nuisance cats and can remove an animal even if it has been neutered and tagged.
“TNR is an augmentation to helping animal control work,” Wake he said.
The issue arose in May when TNR proponents asked that the no-kill program be allowed inside the city.
After some residents opposed the program, Mayor John Cowman appointed a task force led by Wake that included Councilmembers Kirsten Lynch and David Siebold with Police Capt. Jerrell Jolley and City Attorney Barney Knight.
The task force reviewed Chapter 2 of the city ordinance relating to animal control and met with the local non-profit organization Shadow Cats, which provides TNR services for feral cat colonies in surrounding cities like Cedar Park and Round Rock.
Previously, TNR volunteers had been active in the city without official city approval.
More than 35 people filled Pat Bryson Hall in a show of support for TNR and applauded when the Council unanimously approved the changes.
Leander resident Betty Saenz spoke in favor of TNR during the meeting.
“I think it’s a great program,” she said. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If we spay and neuter them, they can’t produce any more.”
While most county animal shelters cover the cost of spaying or neutering through grant money, volunteers must cover the cost of vaccines and microchipping. Any additional treatments like de-worming or flea treatments are also paid by the volunteer.
Volunteers do not assume responsibility for the cats, however. They simply track the number and health of the animals, Smith said.
TNR supporter Andrew Wilhelm said he wanted a program that would not require volunteers to register through a not-for-profit organization.
Wake said the plan needed to provide a paper trail of the cats for tracking rabies registrations and protect the city and its citizens both fiscally and legally.
“I understand there will be people who disagree,” he said. “This seemed to be the best solution.”
After the meeting, Shelia Smith, executive director of Shadow Cats, said she was happy with the new ordinance.
“The main thing is TNR is now legal in Leander, and we’re very grateful for that,” she said.
Smith said TNR helps to reduce the number of cats on the streets and in shelters.
“Eighty-two percent of the cats at the shelters are free-roaming street cats,” she said. “If we can go to the source and get them spayed and neutered, then we’ll end up with less cats at the shelters.”
Now that Smith has the legal OK to operate in the city, her focus will be on training volunteers and fundraising since microchipping adds to the cost of feral cat care.
Shadow Cats will offer a new program called “snipped, tipped and chipped,” she said. “People can sponsor a cat that’s been chipped.”
The volunteer-run feral cat organization runs on donations, Smith said.
“If we don’t have funds to microchip, we won’t trap that cat,” she said. “We will trap and microchip as we have money.”
It costs volunteers who buy microchips at wholesale about $10 to microchip a cat at a shelter. The same service at a private veterinarians would cost more.
Smith said Shadow Cats processed about 500 cats last year, which adds up the cost.
In the end, Smith said, TNR will never replace animal control. But what it offers is to be an adjunct for them, a resource.
To volunteer, schedule training or donate to the TNR cause, contact Smith at feralfriend@austin.rr.com or visit www.shadowcats.net.