sisqoluv
06-16-2004, 11:55 PM
LINCOLN, Neb. (June 15) - If city officials get their way, cats roaming the streets here freely may be a thing of the past. Attorneys are drafting a cat-at-large law aimed at eliminating strays by requiring that cats be on leashes when not on their owners' property. Officials have cited both health and annoyance concerns.
No cases of rabies in cats has been reported in Lancaster County this year, but rabies in cats have been reported elsewhere in the state.
Cats are one of the most common, domestic transmitters of the deadly disease nationwide, said Jim Weverka, director of Animal Control.
Beth Boal, president of The Cat House, a licensed organization that cares for abandoned cats, said the issue is emotional.
"Whenever this issue comes up, it makes a big impact," Boal said.
The law was considered and discarded in 1985, because of budget and enforcement concerns, Weverka said. Another attempt failed two years later.
In 2001, it was pulled from a package of rules that required cats to be spayed or neutered if they run loose. Officials feared the cat-at-large portion would hold up the entire package.
A year later it was pulled from another set of restrictions that limited the number of cats people can own.
City laws restricting at-large dogs has been on the books for 40 years.
"I have had people complain because the neighbor's cat was doing its business on their deck or backyard and say 'What can we do about it?"' said Ed Schneider, president of the board of health.
Debbie Borner, vice president of the Cat House, wondered if the law would be practical.
"Have you ever tried to walk a cat? You go where they go," she said.
Weverka argues that cats don't need to be walked. The law simply requires owners to keep their cats inside, or have their cats restrained when taking them outside the home.
06/15/04 22:13 EDT
Maybe it's just me and every cat I ever owned, but you can't "restrain" a cat when taking them outside, lol.
No cases of rabies in cats has been reported in Lancaster County this year, but rabies in cats have been reported elsewhere in the state.
Cats are one of the most common, domestic transmitters of the deadly disease nationwide, said Jim Weverka, director of Animal Control.
Beth Boal, president of The Cat House, a licensed organization that cares for abandoned cats, said the issue is emotional.
"Whenever this issue comes up, it makes a big impact," Boal said.
The law was considered and discarded in 1985, because of budget and enforcement concerns, Weverka said. Another attempt failed two years later.
In 2001, it was pulled from a package of rules that required cats to be spayed or neutered if they run loose. Officials feared the cat-at-large portion would hold up the entire package.
A year later it was pulled from another set of restrictions that limited the number of cats people can own.
City laws restricting at-large dogs has been on the books for 40 years.
"I have had people complain because the neighbor's cat was doing its business on their deck or backyard and say 'What can we do about it?"' said Ed Schneider, president of the board of health.
Debbie Borner, vice president of the Cat House, wondered if the law would be practical.
"Have you ever tried to walk a cat? You go where they go," she said.
Weverka argues that cats don't need to be walked. The law simply requires owners to keep their cats inside, or have their cats restrained when taking them outside the home.
06/15/04 22:13 EDT
Maybe it's just me and every cat I ever owned, but you can't "restrain" a cat when taking them outside, lol.