Cat scratch debate: leashed, licensed or lethally injected

Don’t be scaredy cats about licensing Hamilton felines, city councillors were told Tuesday.

More than 25 people spoke at a special planning committee meeting about the city’s proposed new animal control bylaw, which suggests eliminating pet limits and regulating “roaming” cats like dogs, with enforcement based solely on complaints.

But several impassioned presenters said the bylaw will fail to reduce the number of cats euthanized each year — 3,000 or so — because it doesn’t mandate licensing the animals.

The previous council voted to axe the controversial idea of cat licensing from the early development of the comprehensive bylaw, which is meant to reconcile a hodgepodge of sometimes contradictory preamalgamation rules about pets.

“You need to find the courage to license cats,” said city resident and vocal cat advocate Margaret Strecker. “We do have to recognize we have a cat crisis.”

Animal services manager Sue O’Dwyer told councillors the city has cut the number of cats euthanized this year by more than 840, compared to 2010.

That’s encouraging, said Strecker, but not enough.

“The bylaw is called the responsible animal ownership bylaw. This is something all responsible cat owners want.”

The licensing idea is “controversial,” admitted Keith Scott, president of the Hamilton-Burlington SPCA, but also necessary to combat the view of cats as “disposable strays.”

Councillor Lloyd Ferguson asked Scott how he would convince residents the licensing scheme is not a “money grab” by the city.

Scott suggested it’s a matter of fairness.

“Licensing is one tool to promote responsible pet ownership,” he said. “Dog owners should not be the only ones required to be responsible.”

Most feline fans applauded the bylaw proposal to end pet limits.

Local veterinarian Liz O’Brien said the move will make wary multiple-pet owners more likely to spay, neuter and microchip their cats.

But she also urged councillors not to consider licensing “a dirty word.”

“In the past, I might have opposed it, too,” she said. “But through education, I see the benefits. I would sell this (idea) to my clients, if you do it.”

No decisions were made at Tuesday’s meeting, but Councillor Terry Whitehead said it might be time to “take another shot” at the licensing debate.

More than 30 residents sent in written opinions on the bylaw.

Close to a dozen verbal and written submissions were made Tuesday by opponents of the urban chicken ban. Their efforts might end up earning fugitive fowl farmers a reprieve. Councillor Jason Farr asked for a comprehensive staff report on the idea of regulating, rather than banning, back yard chickens. It will be considered some time in the first three months of 2012.