§ 8-6. Community cats.

A. 

Definitions for the purpose of this section shall be as follows:

AT LARGE

Not confined, outside an area of escape such as a pen, corral, yard, cage, house, vehicle, or other secure enclosure, unless otherwise under appropriate human control.

BEST FEEDING PRACTICES

Best feeding practices means a person supporting one or more community cats which shall adhere to the following:

[Added 6-24-2019 by L.L. No. 4-2019]

(1) 

Feeding is conducted on a regular schedule;

(2) 

Feeding is limited to the offering of food intended for community cats to approximately one hour per day;

(3) 

Providing only food appropriate for cats, and not scraps or other foods that may be dangerous, deadly, or hazardous to other cats or other animals;

(4) 

The community cat feeding area is kept clean and free of trash;

(5) 

Food and/or water intended for community cats is kept in containers and not on the ground;

(6) 

Feeding shall be conducted only within the confines of the property of the person engaged in TNVR practices.

COLONY

Group of one or more community cats.

COMMUNITY CAT

Any cat that is:

(1) 

Homeless, stray, or at large, where the cat:

(a) 

Has been socialized to people, or is less than five weeks old;

(b) 

Could become feral as connection with humans is farther removed; and

(c) 

In the case of cats older than five weeks, has a good potential to quickly become domesticated once again; or

(2) 

Feral, where the cat:

(a) 

Is not socialized toward humans;

(b) 

Is born in the wild or is the offspring of an owned cat; or

(c) 

Is a formerly owned cat that has been abandoned; or

(3) 

A cat that lives in the community but is not owned by a human, sometimes referred to as a "free-roaming" or "street" cat.

DOMESTICATED CAT

A cat:

(1) 

That is social towards humans;

(2) 

That currently lives within the residence or on the property of a person or persons accepted as the cat's owner; and

(3) 

That is considered appropriate as a companion for humans.

EAR TIPPING

A straight line cutting of the tip of the left ear of a cat while the cat is anesthetized.

NEUTER

To permanently sterilize male cats to render them incapable of impregnating female cats by means of either surgery performed to remove the reproductive organs or chemical sterilization by which the cats are injected with a drug approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for that purpose.

SPAY

To permanently sterilize female cats to prevent estrus (heat) cycles and eliminate their ability to become pregnant by means of either surgery performed to remove the ovaries and uterus or chemical sterilization by which the cats are injected with a drug approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for that purpose.

STERILIZE

To spay or neuter a cat.

TRAP, NEUTER, VACCINATE AND RETURN PROGRAM (TNVR)

A program in which community cats are humanely trapped, which sometimes requires feeding, evaluated, vaccinated, sterilized, and ear-tipped by a veterinarian and returned to the trap location with the intent of controlling or reducing feline population and reproduction.

VETERINARIAN

A person licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the State of New York.

B. 

General policy.

[Amended 6-24-2019 by L.L. No. 4-2019]

(1) 

TNVR of community cats shall be legal in the Village of Williamsville and interested citizens are encouraged to participate in and support TNVR activities on a voluntary basis on their own private property or residence.

(2) 

All persons who attempt to trap community cats for TNVR in the Village of Williamsville should be familiar with the guidelines supported by regional and national feral and community cat organizations, as well as the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), regarding appropriate methods of TNVR.

(3) 

Socialized cats and all kittens subjected to TNVR shall be eligible to be, but not mandated to be, resocialized and put up for adoption.

(4) 

An ear-tipped cat received by local shelters shall be returned to the location where trapped unless veterinary care is required. A trapped ear-tipped cat shall be released on site unless veterinary care is required.

(5) 

Animal control officers shall use appropriate opportunities to inform stakeholders about TNVR.

(6) 

It shall not be a violation of this section to determine that the best course of action for a particular cat, or cat colony, is to be left alone.

(7) 

It shall be permitted in the Village of Williamsville to feed community cats pursuant to the best feeding practices.

C. 

Implementation. The Code Enforcement Officer, or such other official as designated by the Village Board, shall implement and administer this section with the goal of reducing intakes and eliminating humane destruction of cats via TNVR, in consultation with community cat welfare experts including Alley Cat Allies, NYC Feral Cat Initiative, Best Friends Animal Society, Neighborhood Cats, IndyFeral, and No Kill Advocacy Center.

[Amended 6-24-2019 by L.L. No. 4-2019]

D. 

Severability. Should any section or provision of this section be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such determination shall not affect the validity of the section, other than the part declared to be invalid.

Added 9-29-2014 by L.L. No. 9-2014