As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
ABANDON
Forsake a cat entirely or neglect to provide appropriate
care and support for a cat.
ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER
Any person employed or appointed by the Township who is authorized
to investigate violations of laws and regulations concerning animals,
and to issue citations in accordance with New Jersey law and this
Code.
COMMUNITY CAT
Any free-roaming, feral, or barn cat that may be cared for
by one or more residents of the immediate area and which has no discernible
form of ownership identification.
COMMUNITY CAT CAREGIVER
Any person who provides food, water or shelter to, or otherwise
cares for, a community cat. A community cat caregiver shall not be
considered to be the owner, custodian, harborer, controller or keeper
of a community cat.
EAR-TIPPING
The removal of the one-quarter-inch tip of a community cat's
left ear. This means straight-line cutting of the tip of the left
ear of a cat by a licensed veterinarian while the cat is anesthetized.
This indicates that the community cat has been sterilized and vaccinated
for rabies.
FERAL CAT
Feral cats are:
B.
Offspring of tame or feral cats and not socialized; or
C.
Formerly tame cats who have been abandoned and have reverted
to an untamed state.
COMMUNITY CAT COLONY
An individual feral cat or a group of cats who congregate
together outside as a unit. Any nonferal cats who congregate with
a multiple-cat colony shall be deemed part of it.
NUISANCE
Disturbing the peace by:
A.
Habitually or continually howling, crying or screaming; or
B.
The habitual and significant destruction, desecration or soiling
of property against the wishes of the owner of the property.
OWNER
Any person, film, corporation, partnership, association,
trust, estate, or any other legal entity.
SUITABLE SHELTER
Shelter that provides protection from rain, sun, and other
elements that is adequate to protect the health of the cat.
TAME CAT
A cat who is socialized to humans and is appropriate as a
companion for humans.
TNR
Trap, neuter and return.
TNR PROGRAM
The Township's program set forth in this article pursuant
to which feral and community cats are trapped, neutered or spayed,
vaccinated against rabies, ear-tipped and returned to the location
where they congregate.
TOWNSHIP
Township of Bloomfield in the County of Essex, New Jersey.
Caregivers are responsible for the following:
A. Providing food, clean water, and suitable shelter for colony cats.
B. Community cat caregivers are required to make reasonable efforts
to provide medical care if needed. If medical care is unavailable
or too expensive, the community cat caregiver must not allow the cat
to suffer. If unable to provide needed medical attention, caregivers
shall contact the Bloomfield Animal Shelter to pick up the cat(s)
and procure appropriate medical care for them. Caregivers shall not
euthanize any colony cats.
C. Obtaining the prior approval of the owner of any property, including
the property upon which the caregiver resides, to which the caregiver
requires access to provide colony care;
D. In the event that kittens are born to a colony cat, the caregiver
should make reasonable attempts to remove kittens from the field for
domestication, or notify the Bloomfield Animal Shelter so an animal
control officer can pick them up and take them to the shelter for
adoption once they have been weaned;
E. Reporting consistent with provisions set forth in §
134-50C(5).
Caregivers are required to feed the cats in their colonies as
part of properly managing the colonies. As part of this requirement,
caregivers must:
A. Feed only during daylight hours.
B. Feed only the amount of food required by the cats in the colony.
Any food remaining after cats have eaten must be removed before dark.
C. Food must be offered to cats in a container and shall not be dumped
on the ground.
D. A bowl or similar small container with fresh water may be left out
at all times.
E. Feeding must take place in the location least likely to cause a nuisance
to tenants, neighbors, customers, and the general public.
F. It shall be unlawful to feed feral cats who are not spayed/neutered, ear-tipped and vaccinated in accordance with this article, unless the caregiver is in the process of trying to trap the cats for spay/neuter, ear-tipping and vaccination. Animal Control Officers shall be empowered to give a warning notice to any individual feeding one or more feral cats not spayed/neutered, ear tipped and vaccinated in accordance with this article. The warning notice shall require the individual to contact the shelter within 15 days to obtain assistance in getting the cat(s) spayed/neutered, ear-tipped and vaccinated and otherwise brought into compliance with this article. Failure to make such contact within 15 days and cooperate with the Township meeting the requirements of this article will subject the violator to those fines and penalties prescribed in §
1-15 of the Township Code.