As county officials continue refusing to offer catch and release services for feral cats living on the streets, city leaders and nonprofits are increasingly taking matters into their own hands.
Costa Mesa leaders are looking to help reduce the number of feral cats born outside by permitting animal rescuers to perform catch and release services.
It comes at the start of the traditional kitten season as rescue groups grapple with community cats reproducing uncontrollably.
Trap, neuter and release — commonly referred to as TNR — is a practice to reduce community cat populations by trapping cats, performing spray/neuter operations and returning the cats back to their outdoor homes.
During their meeting on April 21, Costa Mesa City Council members unanimously approved a TNR ordinance in an initial vote.
That change needs a second approval by council members before it can go into effect.
If approved, it would explicitly permit animal advocates and partner organizations to perform catch and release services for unowned, free-roaming cats if they register with the city and obtain a permit.
It’s a service the county-run animal shelter used to offer but hasn’t in several years after advice from county counsel that the action could be considered illegal animal abandonment.
[Read: Why is There No Catch and Release Program for Orange County’s Cats?]
In Costa Mesa, permits would only be valid for one year at a time, and trappers would be required to keep records and submit documents to the city.
The ordinance has been several years in the making.
Local animal advocates spoke at last week’s meeting, describing how they’ve been working toward getting this program approved for several years.
“We not only wholeheartedly endorse this, and I’m a big proponent of this, but others have wrestled with this for seven years,” Cara Stewart, vice chair of the city’s animal services committee, said at the meeting. “On behalf of them and their voices and everyone that’s done so much work to create the right kind of ordinance, I really hope we can get this advanced.”
“This committee has been keenly aware of the struggles of those who are volunteering their time and their own resources in order to humanely and compassionately and ethically address the issue of these community cats or feral cats,” she continued.
The program would have no direct cost to the city because it would run entirely through volunteers and organizations that are already performing TNR services in Costa Mesa and across the county.
“This is not only a community issue about the cats,” Stewart said. “It’s really a larger public health issue, and therefore a larger public safety issue. This ordinance is one step in getting it right. It doesn’t just allow TNR — it actually regulates it. Importantly, it creates structure and accountability as well as oversight.“
Mayor John Stephens said this issue has been on the table for a long time.
“It’s all upside for the city,” he said at the meeting. “I think it’s going to make it better for the cat population.”
Councilmember Manuel Chavez said he’s seen the need for the ordinance in the city.
“Having had to deal with cats in my district with mobile home parks, I see the value in this,” he said. “I’m just happy we got here.”
The program would require friendly cats to be given a chance for adoption. Trappers would be required to check to see if cats have a microchip, and only unowned, unsocialized cats would be released back where they were found.
Violators could get their permit revoked or receive a citation under the proposal.
Garden Grove also operates a TNR program for feral cats.
Garden Grove Animal Care Services offers catch and release services — called the Return to Field Program — for feral and community cats on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Under this program, free-roaming cats are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, ear tipped, provided flea medication, given basic medical care and returned to their respective communities, according to Garden Grove’s website.
Since so few municipalities offer this service in Orange County, it’s often left up to animal advocates and nonprofit animal rescue groups to take on the brunt of the catch and release effort in OC.
[Read: How Are Orange County Animal Nonprofits Curbing Cat Overpopulation?]
Another speaker at the Costa Mesa City Council meeting — who previously served on the city’s animal services committee — said the ordinance is long overdue.
“The alternative is what we’re already experiencing: continued population growth, more kittens and ongoing strain on residents and resources.”
Angelina Hicks is the Voice of OC Collegiate News Service Editor. Contact her at ahicks@voiceofoc.org or on Twitter @angelinahicks13.