The Clinton City Council is prepared to take steps to amend ordinances to allow individual or organizations to help address the issue of unowned cats.
Preston Moore of the Iowa Humane Society addressed the city council at a recent meeting and said some in the community believe there is an issue with unowned cats.
He called the trap-neuter-release a proactive approach and effective. The program has individuals humanely trap unowned cats and they are then spayed or neutered, vaccinated and returned to the colony. Moore says over time that reduces the population.
Current city ordinances does not allow that type of program in the community. The local organization Midwest Pets For Life has asked for the city to approve the program.
Moore says it is a community based solution. He says the city is not being asked to provide any money for the T-N-R program.
Sandi Bartels of Midwest Pets For Life said they would hope to get some grant funding and fundraising to help pay for the program. It was also pointed out that an individual could also pay for the services on their own.
City legal counsel Patrick O’Connell added that the change does not require anyone to do anything…
The council agreed to move the changes forward to the next business meeting for formal consideration.
