Animal well-being supporters are searching for more freedom to help deal with the feral and roaming cat population in Winnipeg.
A movement for modifications to the animal by-law was on the table at City Hall Wednesday as part of a push to get out-of-control cat numbers in the city under control.
“It’s a huge issue with stray and feral cats,” said Shannon Nicole Towers, an animal well-being supporter.
A movement from Councillor Vivian Santos said lots of roaming and feral cats wandering in areas are not purified and sterilized. The movement said this can cause a boost in the cat population and have negative effect on locals and other wildlife.
“These consist of sound from male cats, cats contesting area or mates, urine marking,” said Towers.
Right now the city does not permit locals to shelter these animals, typically referred to as “neighborhood cats.”
Advocates state there must be modifications to the pet ownership by-law to permit this so they can get the cats purified or neutered and after that launched.
“Personally, I’ve been doing the work even without the blessing of the city in residential areas,” said Claudia Allen with Winnipeg Lost Cat Alert.
The city’s social work committee voted to have the animal services department return with a report on choices in 6 months.
“We could come back and say no changes needed, we can come back and say if people want to set up a couple dog houses in the back yard to house feral cats, but they’re going to (have to) do this TNR (trap-neuter-return) stuff, spay and neuter these cats and take care of them,” said Leland Gordon with Animal Services.
Committee chair John Orlikow raised issues about what might occur if somebody was allowed the choice of housing the neighborhood cats in a yard.
“The area might not more than happy about that so once again I hope you’ll resolve that in the report also,” said Orlikow.
The committee likewise requested for the report to include what a city ran stand alone spay and sterilize center would cost.
“That’s one of our dreams long term, that would really help knock down the pet population,” said Gordon.
