City orders report on ‘community cat management’ bylaw changes

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This article was published 01/06/2023 (913 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Claudia Allen is willing to break City of Winnipeg rules by harbouring stray and feral cats to help mitigate an apparently growing population of unowned felines.

However, she’d much prefer the city change its bylaws to allow such “community cat management” practices.

“Right now, the only places that community cat management is allowed is (in) industrial areas, so that is private business land. That’s it, no place else, not public areas, not private residences… (The bylaw) specifically says residents are not allowed to harbour any animals, and that includes cats,” said Allen, director of Winnipeg Lost Cat Assistance.

Her organization is one of many groups and individuals who trap, spay/neuter and release feral cats to help control the population.

Despite the fact she’s not allowed under the bylaws to offer shelter as part of that effort in many parts of Winnipeg, Allen noted councillors at a Wednesday community services committee meeting applauded her efforts.

“Everybody wants (this change) but no one’s put it in writing,” she said.

Allen hopes legitimizing the practice would support local organizations, making it easier for them to achieve charitable status and secure grants to help cover the costs of spay and neuter operations.

Many Winnipeggers are active in helping strays, connecting adoptable ones with new homes and sterilizing others before they are released, she added.

Allen believes the issue has become more pressing, since the “community cat” population of stray and feral felines appears to have “blossomed” following COVID-19 pandemic delays to spay and neutering operations.

She noted no official counts of the animals are taken.

Residents are allowed to feed or provide medical care to a feral or stray cat under the responsible pet ownership bylaw, according to the city’s general manager of animal services.

“What is illegal is… if you decide to set up a doghouse or two in your backyard and start harbouring those cats,” Leland Gordon told members of the community services committee Wednesday.

Gordon said some residents already keep prohibited cat colonies on their properties but complaints related to the practice are rare.

“Of course, we’re grateful for all the teams working for these organizations who are out doing this out in the community, because the No. 1 solution for pet over-population is not building more animal shelters. The No. 1 solution is spay and neuter.”

The city could consider the rule change, as requested, though limits would be needed to ensure the number of cats sheltered at a property is low enough to prevent the site from creating a breeding ground, he said.

The committee ordered a city staff report on potential bylaw changes to allow more “community cat” management, which will also determine what it would cost to create the city’s own spay and neuter facility.

Gordon said adding such a facility should be a long-term municipal goal.

Coun. John Orlikow, the committee’s chairman, told reporters the report must also consider any potential livability issues for neighbours.

“Let’s say someone has a feral cat program of 20 cats. What are the neighbours going to think in the middle of a residential neighbourhood?” said Orlikow.

The report is expected back in about six months.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga