1. Feral Cats in Fort Worth A Public Policy Challenge
Dale’s Dozen – 12 Tips for Creating Perfect PowerPoints.
Hopefully, you’ll find these tips helpful. And if you apply them carefully you just might find yourself feeling pretty good after the city manager’s review session and more confident when you get in front of the Council.
Presented by:
Brandon Scott Bennett
Code Compliance Director
April 10, 2012

2. Live Release Policy Overview
Since 2009, a concerted effort has been underway to increase the live release rate at shelter
Plan developed with 3 major objectives:
Reduce number of animals coming to shelter
Provide excellent care and a healthy environment for all animals at the shelter
Efficiently and effectively identify owners and move abandoned animals from the shelter to adoption or rescue programs

3. Live Release Rate Progress
Opened new spay/neuter clinic at the shelter – 2009
New ordinances passed requiring spay/neuter unless owner obtains intact pet permit
Implemented low-cost vaccination/licensing clinic weekday afternoons at shelter
Implemented enhanced preventive medicine / vaccination program at shelter

4. Live Release Rate Progress
Every adopted or rescued animal receives free spay/neuter prior to release to new owner
Partnership with PetSmart Charities and PetSmart for 2 new satellite adoptions centers – 2010 & 2011
Contract with private veterinarian to perform low-cost spay/neuter surgeries for general public at our clinic on weekends
Expanded volunteer network to include social networking tools to promote rescues

5. 1st PetSmart Adoption Center Opened

8. Definitions Domestic Cat: A socialized pet that resides with an owner
Feral Cat: The offspring of lost or abandoned pet cats or other feral cats who live as wild animals and are not socialized
We are not referring to free-roaming pets.
We are referring to wild, unsocialized cats.

9. Current Ordinances
Owners must keep their cats from roaming beyond the boundaries of their premises
All cats must be licensed and vaccinated
All cats must have an intact pet permit or be spayed/neutered
Resident of FW can own no more than 3 cats

10. Nuisance Feline Intake Process
Call comes into shelter requesting assistance with a nuisance cat
City loans a trap to complainant
Complainant contacts City to retrieve trapped cat

11. Current Situation
Approximately 20,000 animals wind up at the City’s animal shelter annually
Between 5,000 – 6,000 of the total are cats
Vast majority have been trapped by individuals who have an interest in removing the cat from its environment
Approximately 3,000 of these cats are feral
Due to their wild nature, feral cats are very seldom rescued or adopted
About one-third of all animals euthanized at shelter are feral cats

12. Current Situation
Some caretakers actively carrying out Trap-Neuter Return (TNR) “under the radar”
Scores of caretakers throughout the city provide food and water to feral cats in their neighborhoods
No formal method for tracking or ensuring spay/neuter, vaccinations, etc.

13. Feral Cats
Is there a better solution for the 3,000 feral cats that wind up at the animal shelter in Fort Worth?

14. Other Community Programs
Trap-Neuter Return (TNR)
No feral cat brought to the shelter and left
Community resources built to provide spay/neuter, vaccination services
Altered and vaccinated cats returned to environment from which they came to be fed and cared for by volunteer caretakers
Austin, Dallas, Oklahoma City, San Diego, San Francisco, Portland, Phoenix, Louisville, Raleigh
ASPCA and Humane Society endorses
Various models.
In some locations, non-profits administer the program. In some locations, local veterinarians are a part of the community resources built to provide services…so when we look at important factors like how much TNR would cost in Fort Worth it depends greatly on the network of community resources that might be tapped into. I don’t think the City of Fort Worth could fully fund a TNR initiative…there would need to be partnerships established.

15. Public Meetings November 29 – Botanic Garden
December 10 – Summerglen Library
December 15 – Hallmark Baptist Church
January 12 – Botanic Garden
January 19 – Meadowbrook United Methodist Church
Also invited s and phone calls…
Various models.
In some locations, non-profits administer the program. In some locations, local veterinarians are a part of the community resources built to provide services…so when we look at important factors like how much TNR would cost in Fort Worth it depends greatly on the network of community resources that might be tapped into. I don’t think the City of Fort Worth could fully fund a TNR initiative…there would need to be partnerships established.

16. Public Meeting Summary
Majority of Attendees in Favor of TNR
Other Feedback Received via and Phone Calls Expressed Concerns About Nuisance Aspects of Free-Roaming, Feral Cats and Potential Negative Environmental Impacts (Birds, etc.)
Feedback Consistent with Debates and Arguments Experienced in Other Communities
Various models.
In some locations, non-profits administer the program. In some locations, local veterinarians are a part of the community resources built to provide services…so when we look at important factors like how much TNR would cost in Fort Worth it depends greatly on the network of community resources that might be tapped into. I don’t think the City of Fort Worth could fully fund a TNR initiative…there would need to be partnerships established.

17. Draft Criteria for Solutions
Cost-Neutral for City
Must acknowledge legitimate nuisance issues
Cannot place burden of controlling nuisance issues on property owners with no interest in participating TNR

18. Potential Partners Animal Rescue Groups Local Veterinarians
Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Clinics

19. Recommendation Allow for “managed” feral cat colonies
Require Registered Caretakers
Require sterilization, vaccinations, ear-tipping
Prohibit colonies in environmentally sensitive areas
Define “nuisances” caused by free-roaming cats
Allow property owner discretion on determining a nuisance on their private property

20. Recommendation
Once a “nuisance” identified, and a feral cat trapped, property owner is educated on the cat’s likely fate without TNR and about the TNR program
The first time a cat is trapped as a “nuisance”, the TNR program partners would spay, neuter, ear-tip and return
The second time the same cat is trapped, the property owner has an option to reject TNR and the cat does not return
If cat is not returned, rescue partners implement alternate solution such as “barn cat program”

21. Next Steps Draft ordinance revisions
Further develop the rescue partner program and business processes
30 day review period
Return to City Council with final ordinance recommendations

22. Dale’s Dozen – 12 Tips for Creating Perfect PowerPoints.
Hopefully, you’ll find these tips helpful. And if you apply them carefully you just might find yourself feeling pretty good after the city manager’s review session and more confident when you get in front of the Council.