BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD – Board of Health members are trying to reduce the risk of disease that may be transmitted from cats to humans by enforcing a law that will fine people who feed stray felines.
According to health officials, Freehold has far too many stray cats. The officials believe residential overcrowding in some areas has compounded the problem.
The ordinance prohibits the feeding of unconfined wildlife in any public park or on any other public property owned by the borough in order to protect the health and welfare of residents. Violators are subject to a fine of up to $100.
What seems to be happening is a domino effect. Officials said too many cats are being fed and reproducing. Add to that the fact that the Monmouth County SPCA, Eatontown, which normally takes stray cats, is pressed to keep up with the demand for space and has limited space to house the strays, which require seven days of quarantine.
Throw in a fee of $100 to have a cat picked up by an animal control officer and another $65 if the cat has to be euthanized and you have what Board of Health member Samantha Daesener calls a “snowballing effect.”
Currently, the SPCA will only take two cats per week, according to Daesener.
To deal with the issue, board members have applied for a shared grant to build a new animal shelter to help house the strays.
According to Margaret Jahn, director of the Freehold Area Health Department and a member of the Freehold Area Board of Health, Freehold Township has taken the lead on making on application to the state Department of Community Affairs for a feasibility study that would explore the possibility of building another animal shelter in the area.
Jahn said Long Branch is filing with Freehold Township on the application and three other municipalities – Freehold Borough, Manalapan and Middletown – have expressed interest in joining the feasibility study.
Although the ordinance prohibiting people from feeding stray cats was adopted early in 2006, board members said the problem has gotten worse and they want residents to be aware of the issue.
Jahn said most people believe rabies is more common in dogs, but she noted that cats have a significantly higher risk of transmitting rabies to humans because they are nocturnal and are more likely to encounter raccoons, the natural carrier of rabies.
Board of Health members discussed the issue at a meeting on Jan. 11.
Jahn said most people will more easily approach a feral cat (also known as a stray cat; a cat that has been separated from domestication) that appears to be sick because they are considered pets and not wild animals. That action, however, can increase the risk of humans beings being exposed to rabies.
According to Jahn, the Centers for Disease Control recommends that municipalities remove feral cats from the community to minimize that risk.
Borough officials said that over the past decade, the town’s cat population has increased significantly. The law seeks to promote responsible pet ownership by making sure all owners license their cats. Community education is part of the plan.
According to Jahn, a female cat can have up to 18 offspring in one year.
Feeding cats and allowing them to remain “wild” is also frowned upon by many humane groups, according to Board of Health member Dr. William McGonigle.
McGonigle spoke about the trap, neuter return programs which are cat advocates’ answer to reducing the population of stray cats. According to a health department brochure, in this program stray cats are trapped, spayed or neutered by a veterinarian, given a rabies vaccination and released to a site where they are fed regularly by a volunteer.
McGonigle said the success of trap, neuter, return programs varies.
“Existing trap, neuter, return colonies continually attract new members and often become a dumping ground for unwanted pets. Many colonies are managed in public places such as parks,” he said.
McGonigle said the initial rabies vaccinations are only good for one year.
Board of Health member Dr. Gregory Jewell, a veterinarian, said cats carry a variety of diseases, including those that can be passed from cat to cat such as the feline AIDS (FIV) virus and feline leuke-mia, among others.
In addition, toxoplasmosis is a disease which can affect unborn children. Jewell said pregnant women must avoid stray cats and he said if a pregnant woman has a cat as a pet she should never change the litter box. He also suggested that pregnant women should wear gloves when gardening.
A rabies clinic is held twice a year. Residents can have their pets vaccinated against rabies for free. The borough will hold a clinic on April 14 behind the firehouse from 10-11 a.m.
The Health Department has created a brochure to inform residents about the problem and what they can do to help. According to the brochure a pet owner can prevent unwanted strays by:
+ Being a responsible pet owner and keeping your own cat indoors.
+ By not feeding stray cats.
+ By never abandoning a cat.
+ By supporting legislation that requires cat owners to register their cats and prevent them from roaming.
+ By supporting animal control efforts to humanely trap and remove stray cats from the community.