**Any donations made via change.org platform do not come to the rescue... 

 

Community cats already exist in the Village of Swanton. These cats are not owned pets, but they are part of the local environment and often appear when animals are abandoned or left behind.

Recently, a Swanton property owner was cited for feeding stray cats that were living in an alley behind his privately owned building. The cats had reportedly been abandoned and were seeking food and shelter during extremely cold winter conditions.

The current village code, Section 90.09, prohibits feeding stray or feral animals. While this rule may have been intended to prevent nuisance wildlife, it does not address the real issue of community cats that already live in the area.

Simply prohibiting feeding does not make cats disappear. Instead, it can lead to starvation, illness, and continued breeding. When cats are not sterilized, they reproduce quickly, creating more kittens and increasing the number of animals over time.

There is a humane and proven solution used by communities across the United States: Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR).

Under a TNR program:
• Cats are humanely trapped  
• Spayed or neutered and vaccinated  
• Ear-tipped for identification  
• Returned to their outdoor territory

Once sterilized, nuisance behaviors decline and colonies gradually shrink over time because no new kittens are born.

Major animal welfare organizations including the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the Humane Society of the United States, and Alley Cat Allies support Trap-Neuter-Return as the most effective and humane way to manage community cat populations.

We respectfully ask the Village of Swanton to review and amend Section 90.09 of the village code to allow responsible Trap-Neuter-Return management of community cats. This could include allowing controlled feeding as part of a sterilization program so volunteers can humanely reduce the population over time.

Our goal is not to increase the number of cats in Swanton. Our goal is to humanely reduce the population, prevent suffering, and stop the cycle of uncontrolled breeding.

By allowing responsible TNR programs, the Village of Swanton can address community concerns while adopting a humane, effective solution used successfully in many other communities.

Please sign this petition to support humane management of community cats in Swanton. 

Responsible residents and local rescue volunteers are willing to help implement this solution and work with the village to humanely stabilize the population.

 

 

https://bio.site/shiningstarrescueShining Star Rescue