PetFriendlyGuide Attachment to 7-25-13 SBACC Minutes

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Cats are now AmericaÈs most popular companion animal. In many parts of the country, cats continue to serve communities in historical role, keeping rodent populations under control, as we family pets. In densely populated urban settings, though, outdoor cats arenÈt always greeted with open arms. Free-roaming cats often be neighborhood nuisances and have replaced dogs as the number one plus shelter animal in many parts of the US. As a result, even t 20-25% of shelter cats appear to have been owned in the recent p animal control agencies spend significant resources taking care which no one else takes responsibility. From a practical standpoint, once an uniden- tified cat ventures beyond its own property, it belongs to no one. Furthermore, cat owners arenÈt as likely as dog owners to immediately go looking for a lost pet at the local shelter, so the number of cats returned to their owners is disproportionately low.18 Many shel- ters post photos of impounded cats on their websites to help owners locate a lost pet, but in the absence of permanent identification, shelters have a difficult time distinguishing between cats whose owners will look for them and less fortunate ones. Consequently, some cats are placed or euthanized before their owners can find them, a very disheartening circumstance. This is why our mo recommends owner-initiated voluntary cat registration linked to microchips to help shelters reunite cats with their owners. For a voluntary cat registration/identification program to work, animal control agencies must agree to check all cats entering th for a microchip and contact their owners if one is detected. If the owner cannot be located immediately, the agency must also agree to hol tered/chipped cats beyond the standard hold time. This system of initiated voluntary registration linked with identification prov sible cat owners a better chance that their pets will be returne importantly, it provides animal control agencies a means of dist between cats whose owners are more dedicated to them than others shelter. Voluntary, owner-initiated registration linked to identification should not be seen as a regulatory scheme but as a pact or servi ment between responsible cat owners who want to increase their o getting a lost pet home and animal control, which agrees to trea cats with greater concern by making defined efforts to contact t ers and extending impound times before placement or euthanasia. charged for this optional service will be used to defray some of expense needed to give a cat special attention. Registration fees will be set by the county in an amount that encourages cat owners to participate. For communities that alrea [ 14 ] © National Animal Interest Alliance, March 2005