Feral cat program eyed by township

By: Stephanie Prokop
   SPRINGFIELD — Feral cats can be a boon on farms, where they keep rodent populations under control, but in residential communities cat overpopulation can be a serious problem, so township officials are looking at humane options to trap, neuter and release the animals.
   On Nov. 8, Councilman Peter Sobotka requested that the township attorney look at a sample ordinance to adopt a program that would address the issue of feral cats in the area. Feral cats are cats that normally exist outside, but may rely on humans for their meals.
   Mr. Sobotka acknowledged that the county has a program in place to help municipalities deal with this issue. According to its Web site, The Burlington County Feral Cat Initiative, is a public-private animal control program designed to protect the public health, reduce shelter euthanasia, preserve scarce shelter resources, and solve severe feral and stray cat overpopulation crises through the use of Trap-Neuter-Release, popularly known as TNR.
   The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) also believes that feral cat overpopulation is a community-generated problem and that every community has a responsibility to work toward a solution.
   According to Councilman Richard Toone, feral cats haven’t been a problem in the farm fields, but they have been a problem in housing communities, where they often get fed, but aren’t neutered so they keep multiplying.
   "The farmers like them because they eat all of the mice and rats that try and destroy their crops," he said, "It’s more of a suburban problem."
   Mr. Sobotka said he thought that this would be a wise ordinance to look to adopt, because of the number of farms in Springfield and the surrounding area.
   "(If) there’s a colony of cats, and they try to neuter them over time, it benefits both ways by cutting down on the amount of rabies problems, and the amount of cats," he said. "They’re a problem in any kind of farm community, it affects other animals; it’s a preventative program to benefit the community as a whole," Mr. Sobotka said.
   While there is no immediate threat of rabid animals in the area, Mr. Sobotka agrees that addressing the issue of feral cats could put a lid on that concern.
   "The threat of contracting rabies is a concern for the community, said Mr. Sobotka. "It’s something that you don’t want to spread, and that you don’t want to get."
   Mr. Sobotka then asked the township attorney to acquire a sample ordinance for the council to review.
   "It seemed like a good thing that other townships where doing, so we decided to look into it," Mr. Sobotka remarked.