At its March 7, 2022 meeting, the Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee heard a discussion item with regards to the relocation of the cat colony at North Shore Open Space Park. While the item was withdrawn on the dais by the sponsoring Commissioner (it was determined that the relocation of community cats will not be 100% effective, and in many cases dangerous,) the sponsoring Commissioner and an Animal Welfare Committee representative took the opportunity to discuss a different cat related need, the need to hire a cat trapper.
The City, along with SoBe Cats Spay and Neuter, and Sage Animal Rescue Foundation, has been able to rescue approximately 500 cats off of the streets and place them into loving homes, and with the Trap Neuter Vaccinate Return (TNVR) program, another 500 cats were rescued, for total of 1,000 cats serviced in Fiscal Year 2021.
In the past, the City had a Public Works liaison oversee the TNVR Program, attend Animal Welfare Committee meetings, and coordinate administrative needs of the program. The Public Works Department is currently in the process of hiring a full time Cat Coordinator to take over the various responsibilities associated with the TVNR Program. However, there is no funding mechanism currently in place within the Department to hire a Cat Trapper at this time.