HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Bill 3BLate1 10/19/2009
From: Diane Reilly Torres [dreillytorres@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2009 9:50 AM
To: - City Clerk
Subject: Fw: Late Document Item 3B Ordinance on feral cats in Petaluma
Attachments: Feral Cat Ordinance change requests 10.09.doc
Please post as late doeument thank you Diane Reilly Torres
--- On Mon, 10/12/09, Susan Simons ~susansimons{~i ,cds.Lnet> wrote:
~
From: Susan Simons <susansimons(~a,cdsl.net>
Subject: Ordinance on feral cats in Petaluma
To: "Tiffany Renee" <tiff(a~designmoti£com>, "Mike Healy" <mthealy a,scbglobal.net>, "David Glass"
<dave lg ass(a~comcast.net>, "David Rabbitt" <david(a~davidrabbitt.com>, "Teresa Barrett"
<teresa4petaluma(a~comcast.net>, "Pamela Torliatt" <ptorliatt(a~aol.com>
Cc: kittykabana(a~yahoo.com, "Jennifer Kirschner" <neuter _,sonic.net>, "Elle" <elle(c~svn.net>, "Diane Reilly
Torres" <dreillytorres(a~sbc~lobal.net>, "Patricia Boyd" <w.bo~n,sbc~lobal.net>
Date: Monday, October 12, 2009, 8:34 AM ~
Dear Council members,
After a disappointing evening of seeing all of you ignore valid change recommendations from the
group who had hoped to work with the city in a compromise ordinance, I am once again sending you
the recommended changes to the ordinance, so that you can reconsider your vote on October 19th to
one that will work.
The River group received plenty of accolades for their "compromising" on this ordinance. However,
nothing changed concerning the wetlands and I'm sure that they are happy to see the work handed
over to a non-profit group. There was a clear bias from all of you, the consequences of which couldn't
have been thought out. If they had, you would have seen that without an authorized feral cat
organization steppiing up to do the work, the ordinance is worthless - no tracking system, no progress
reports, no obligation to reduce feral cat issues in Petaluma. And Forgotten Felines of Sonoma
County made it clear prior to the meeting that they would not take on the insurance
requirement in the ordinance.
As Diane Torres pointed out in her letter, Friends of the River does not have the same requirement.
Why not? Also, the wetlands definition in the ordinance, made up specifically for this purpose,
includes private property. Does this trump private ownership rights?
For years l worked with other City Councils in Petaluma, members who took the time to know the
issues prior to the meeting and not just vote on bias. No questions were asked of Jennifer, indicating
minds made up. "Not in my backyard " was a popular theme last Monday, and questions asked of
potbellied pigs that should have already been known prior to voting on the issue.
I ask that you look at these changes and include them prior to your next vote. Thank you.
Susan Simons
Former Chair of Animal Services Advisory Committee, '98-'03
Feral Cat Ordinance chan~e requests
Definition of feral: Doesn't match definition in CA F&A 31752.5
Strike " the reasonable determination by animal control of~cer is not socialized."
9.14.110 Feral cat colony registration; trap, neuter, return, monitor program
A. Strike "Feral cats, and feeding ......in accordance with this chapter."
Reasons:
1. Is an unrealistic/unenforceable expectation that discourages independent colony caregivers
from participating if they are not with a feral cat organization.
2. Doesn't recognize that there are many individuals who prefer not to be affiliated with a
Feral Cat Care Organization yet are perfectly capable of providing the recognized standards
of care for cats at their own expense
3. Assumes that there will be an authorized feral cat organization who will be willing to take
on this responsibility now or in the future
A.3. Remove section.
Reasons:
1. ~Jnreasonable request - Forgotten Felines will not participate w/ this requirement,
rendering most of the ordinance moot
2. Implies responsibility for feral cats in Petaluma
3. City has not required other non-profits to carry this insurance, such as Friends of Pet River
4. Detement to volunteers stepping forward
5. What grounds are there to base this requirement on?
A.4. Strike: "Annual reports shall....and public education efforts."
Reasons:
1. Undue burden of time and expense for volunteer dependent non-profit
2. Unrealistic expectation for group to gather stats from independent caretakers
Recommendation:
Rewrite as follows: Establish a eolony tracking system and provide an annual progress report to
Petaluma Animal Services
A.5,6,7 Remove sections, replace with following: "Establish standardized colony management
guidelines including sterilization, vaccinations, ear tipping, feeding and maintenance based upon
current recognized sfandards of care and agreed upon by Animal Services and Authorized ~eral
Cat Organization."
Reasons:
1. Broader description of requirements
2. Provides for future changes in "recognized standards of care"
A.10 Remove "complaint or alleged" and replace with clear violation of law.
Reasons:
1. Highly reduces the probability of cooperation from individual colony caretakers if based
on a~ complaint.
D.1. Definition is inconsistent with General Plan definition of Petaluma Wetlands.
Should match what already exists.