Rising quantity of feral cats inflicting Port Neches well being considerations Revealed 7:47 pm Thursday, July 20, 2023
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PORT NECHES — A passionate, prolonged dialogue on the feeding of feral cats at Port Neches Riverfront Park ended with a brand new ordinance however no actual answer.
The ordinance prohibits the feeding of feral/stray animals within the metropolis. The brand new measure comes with penalties; the primary offense being a wonderful of $200 and the second violation shall be $100 per animal concerned within the incident and the give up of the animals, in keeping with the ordinance.
Police Chief Cheri Griffith informed council of a colony of cats that stay on the park and have led to complaints relating to feces and associated scent and unsanitary circumstances on the park tables.
Griffith stated the scent was noticeable throughout RiverFest, including a sergeant working after hours safety famous cats on vendor cubicles the place meals was bought.
The ever-growing variety of feral/stray cats stay close to La Maison Beausoleil, an genuine Cajun dwelling on park property that serves as a museum.
Vyki Derrick, president of the nonprofit Pals of Ferals, took on the difficulty of the feral cats that she stated are being dumped within the space by trapping and spraying or neutering the cats, having them vaccinated then releasing them again.
She has been doing this for a 12 months and spoke to the council in opposition of the ordinance.
Over the previous 12 months her group of volunteers sterilized and vaccinated 108 cats inside Port Neches, discovered perpetually houses for some and transferred roughly 50 to no-kill shelters.
“The Port Neches Park colony alone accounted for over 50 p.c of those profitable efforts,” Derrick stated.
However the cats discover different meals sources reminiscent of scavenging via trash cans or feeding on wildlife, she stated.
“A feeding ban would solely shift the issue elsewhere, relatively than addressing it successfully,” she stated. “Banning the feeding of feral cats additionally fails to think about the compassionate side of those points.”
However the cats which can be fastened and vaccinated nonetheless don’t eradicate the issue of there being a colony of feral cats on the park, Councilman Robert Arnold famous.
He requested if there’s a strategy to mass entice the colony to allow them to be relocated. Griffith stated she will not be conscious of how to do this.
Port Neches resident Michael Satcher met Derrick when there have been seven feral cats below his dwelling. Her group had them sterilized, vaccinated and introduced again.
He additionally famous unsterilized cats might presumably reproduce 5 instances per 12 months.
Councilman John Davenport stated the true reply can be to rehome the cats however that’s tough to do.
Mayor Glenn Johnson stated council is liable for the well being and welfare of the residents of the town.
However not all cats could be rehomed, Derrick stated. A number of the feral cats can not stay within a house.
The consensus on all sides of the difficulty was that one thing must be performed however the answer was not discovered Thursday evening.
On a associated matter, council authorised an ordinance making it unlawful to dump stay or useless animals within the metropolis.