Stray Cats in Gillespie, Illinois

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G i l l e s p i e Gillespie, Illinois - Macoupin County Illinois, - State of Illinois - United States Of America

Gillespie, Illinois
Editorial

March 31, 2009
"Ugh" ! ! ! Stray Cats in Gillespie, Illinois and many other places
A source of irriatation for many of the local residents is the cats roaming everywhere in the city. Unfortunately this is not only strays. It appears that many pet owners allow their pets, especially cats to roam at will. They use other's properties for defecation making a smelly and unsightly mess. Flower beds and vegetable gardens suffer greatly with this feces being deposited there. A citizen who maintains their landscaping faces the health hazard created by feces when they plant, weed and maintain thier gardens and lawns. Why is this allowed to happen? There oughta be a Law ! There is A law or city ordinance is on the books. Now, how to enforce it is a question faced by city officials and police officers along with everyone in the city who hates having to deal with this problem. Pet owners have a right to their pets, but what about the rights of every other resident that doesn't want to put up with this problem. Ordinance No. 92-3 License and Fees See : Ordinance No. 92-3 & Ordinance No. 93-1 Rabies Inoculation See : Ordinance No. 93-1 However, these ordinances DO NOT have any direct impact on strays. They state that it is in the best interest of the municipality to control the problems presented by dogs and cats in the City of Gillespie. Pet owners and those individuals that harbor cats and / or dogs by providing food and / or shelter for these animals are required to follow the law by complying with the ordinances. Pet owners that allow their pets to roam freely add to the problem. Abandonded domesticated animals and feral colonies are not effectively covered by these ordinances. A more stingent enforcement of these ordinances would help and probably needs to be undertaken. I am of the opinion that the ordinances need to be amended to reflect the problem of strays. I am also of the opinion that there should be a provision in the ordinance to impose fines on the residents that provide food and / or shelter for strays, more than just the penalty for not licensing or vaccinating said animals. If a person wants to have a pet or feed strays, then they should confine them to their own premises and not inflict the neighborhoods with the problems created by roaming cats and dogs. The do-gooders have prevented and continue to denounce the destroying of stray cats. The animal shelters do not want to deal with cats for many reasons, including resources, shelter space, and then what to do with them. Local police do not have the time, resources or manpower, or even a legal recourse on a method to dispose of these strays once they are caught. I overheard a gentleman recently make the remark "Too many cats, Not enough recipes.". This comment echoes the sentiments of many. Many suggestions are available in how to handle the situation, but none are really effective. 1. Spay and neuter all pets. (Some pet owners do, and some will not.) (Of course, this doesn't help with the stray cat problem.) 2. Return domestic cats to their owners. (Most will allow them loose again) 3. Capture and call the animal control officer to come and retrieve them. (They do not want to deal with them.) Note : The Gillespie Police Department has a cage-type trap that you can pick up from the department and then return, with the captured cat, to them for disposal. They do not not really wish to do this, but they will. 4. Find someone to adopt a stray as a pet. (This is really not likely.) 5. Capture and release more than fifteen miles away. (Sure, pass the problem to someone else.) 6. Capture and have spayed or neutered, then release. (Who is going to pay? and still doesn't solve the problem) 7. Stop people from putting out food for these strays. YES, this does occur. (How ?) (Some metropolitan areas fine people who provide food for stray cats, even up to $ 500.⁰⁰) 8. Spread hot spicy items or ammonia around your property. (May work for a short time, but rain and evaporation eliminate these methods.) 9. Prevention of places that strays can find food or shelter. This includes, under decks and porches, areas around dumpsters and keeping dumpsters and trash receptacles covered that have discarded food products. Some pet owners that have trap-door type entries for their own pets, have experienced that strays will enter through these entries to steal their pet's food. Maybe there could be a Clean Up Day for the capture, elimination, and burial in a mass grave. This could occur every quarter. Now, I am aware that there are those do-gooders who will disagree, but then maybe they will help elininate this problem by getting off of their "soapboxes" and do something rather than just ranting and raving about the cruelty of this method ! Some argue that this does not help, that it allows for strays to come from other areas and the problem just repeats.

March 31, 2009

"Ugh" ! ! !
Stray Cats in Gillespie, Illinois
and many other places

      A source of irriatation for many of the local residents is the cats roaming everywhere in the city. Unfortunately this is not only strays. It appears that many pet owners allow their pets, especially cats to roam at will. They use other's properties for defecation making a smelly and unsightly mess. Flower beds and vegetable gardens suffer greatly with this feces being deposited there. A citizen who maintains their landscaping faces the health hazard created by feces when they plant, weed and maintain thier gardens and lawns. Why is this allowed to happen?
There oughta be a Law !       There is     A law or city ordinance is on the books. Now, how to enforce it is a question faced by city officials and police officers along with everyone in the city who hates having to deal with this problem. Pet owners have a right to their pets, but what about the rights of every other resident that doesn't want to put up with this problem.

Ordinance No. 92-3    License and Fees     See : Ordinance No. 92-3
&
Ordinance No. 93-1    Rabies Inoculation     See : Ordinance No. 93-1

      However, these ordinances DO NOT have any direct impact on strays. They state that it is in the best interest of the municipality to control the problems presented by dogs and cats in the City of Gillespie. Pet owners and those individuals that harbor cats and / or dogs by providing food and / or shelter for these animals are required to follow the law by complying with the ordinances. Pet owners that allow their pets to roam freely add to the problem. Abandonded domesticated animals and feral colonies are not effectively covered by these ordinances.
      A more stingent enforcement of these ordinances would help and probably needs to be undertaken. I am of the opinion that the ordinances need to be amended to reflect the problem of strays. I am also of the opinion that there should be a provision in the ordinance to impose fines on the residents that provide food and / or shelter for strays, more than just the penalty for not licensing or vaccinating said animals. If a person wants to have a pet or feed strays, then they should confine them to their own premises and not inflict the neighborhoods with the problems created by roaming cats and dogs.
      The do-gooders have prevented and continue to denounce the destroying of stray cats. The animal shelters do not want to deal with cats for many reasons, including resources, shelter space, and then what to do with them. Local police do not have the time, resources or manpower, or even a legal recourse on a method to dispose of these strays once they are caught.
      I overheard a gentleman recently make the remark "Too many cats, Not enough recipes.". This comment echoes the sentiments of many.

Many suggestions are available in how to handle the situation, but none are really effective.
1. Spay and neuter all pets.
     (Some pet owners do, and some will not.)
     (Of course, this doesn't help with the stray cat problem.)
2. Return domestic cats to their owners.
      (Most will allow them loose again)
3. Capture and call the animal control officer to come and retrieve them.
     (They do not want to deal with them.)

Note : The Gillespie Police Department has a cage-type trap that you can pick up from the department and then return, with the captured cat, to them for disposal. They do not not really wish to do this, but they will.
4. Find someone to adopt a stray as a pet.
     (This is really not likely.)
5. Capture and release more than fifteen miles away.
      (Sure, pass the problem to someone else.)
6. Capture and have spayed or neutered, then release.
      (Who is going to pay? and still doesn't solve the problem)
7. Stop people from putting out food for these strays. YES, this does occur.
     (How ?)
     (Some metropolitan areas fine people who provide food for stray cats, even up to $ 500.⁰⁰)
8. Spread hot spicy items or ammonia around your property.
     (May work for a short time, but rain and evaporation eliminate these methods.)
9. Prevention of places that strays can find food or shelter. This includes, under decks and porches, areas around dumpsters and keeping dumpsters and trash receptacles covered that have discarded food products. Some pet owners that have trap-door type entries for their own pets, have experienced that strays will enter through these entries to steal their pet's food.

      Maybe there could be a Clean Up Day for the capture, elimination, and burial in a mass grave. This could occur every quarter. Now, I am aware that there are those do-gooders who will disagree, but then maybe they will help elininate this problem by getting off of their "soapboxes" and do something rather than just ranting and raving about the cruelty of this method !

      Some argue that this does not help, that it allows for strays to come from other areas and the problem just repeats.

Your comments are welcome to be added here.

ORDINANCE NO. 92-3 in pdf format
Requires Adobe Reader 92-3.pdf

CITY OF GILLESPIE

ORDINANCE NO. 92 - 3

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER V, ARTICLE II, SECTION 5
OF CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF GILLESPIE, ILLINOIS
CONCERNING ANIMALS, DOGS AND CATS

ADOPTED BY THE
CITY COUNCIL
OF THE
CITY OF GILLESPIE
THIS 13TH DAY OF APRIL, 1992

Published in pamphlet form by authority of the City Council of the
City of Gillespie, Macoupin County, Illinois, this 14th day of April, 1992.

STATE OF ILLINOIS
COUNTY OF MACOUPIN
CITY OF GILLESPIE

)
)
)

ORDINANCE NO. 92-3

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER V, ARTICLE II, SECTION 5
OF CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF GILLESPIE, ILLINOIS
CONCERNING ANIMALS, DOGS AND CATS

WHEREAS, Chapter V of the Municipal Code of the City of Gillespie, deals with animals and fowl and Article II thereof deals with licensing and control of dogs; and

WHEREAS, It is deemed in the best interest of the municipality that the said Article II be amended to more accurately reflect the problems presented by dogs and cats in the City of Gillespie;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GILLESPIE THAT SAID CHAPTER V, ARTICLE II, SECTION 5 BE AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS :

Article II shall be amernded to read "Article II - DOGS AND CATS."

Article II, Section 5-21 shall be amended to read:

Section 5-21: LICENSE AND REGISTRATION REQUIRED. It shall be unlawful for any person within the City to own, keep or harbor any cat or dog over five (5) months of age without procuring a license for such cat or dog as provided in this code.

Section 5-21.1: LICENSING OF DOGS - FEES. Each owner of a dog more than five (5) months of age on January 1st of any year, or five (5) months of age within the license year, shall annually or within thirty (30) days from the date such dog becomes five (5) months of age, pay a dog license fee and obtain a license therefor. The license years shall commence on January 1st and end on the following December 31st.

Section 5-21.2: LICENSING OF CATS - FEES. Each owner of a cat more than five (5) months of age on January 1st of any year, or five (5) months of age within the license year shall annually or within thirty (30) days from the date such cat becomes five (5) months of age, obtain a license for each cat from the City Clerk. The license year shall commence on January 1st and end on the following December 31st.

Section 5-22: LICENSE FEES. Every owner of a cat or dog more than five (5) months of age (the word "owner" when used herein includes every person who owns, harbors or keeps a cat or dog), shall annually during the month of January, or within thirty (30) days after such a cat or dog becomes five (5) months of age, pay a cat or dog license fee and obtain a license therefor. the fee for such cat or dog license shall be two dollars ($2.00) for each sexually altered or neutered cat or dog, and five dollars ($5.00) for each sexually unaltered or unneutered cat or dog. One-half of these amounts shall be due if the cat or dog became five (5) months of age on or after April 1st of the license year. The license shall commence on January 1st and end on the following December 31st.

Section 5-22.1: An additional fee of $2.00 per cat or dog license shall be paid by all persons purchasing dog or cat license after April 1st or more than three (3) months after such dog or cat becomes five (5) months of age. The applicant for a cat or dog license shall present a valid certificate of vaccination before the license is issued.

Section 5-26 of the municipal code shall be amended to read as follows :

Section 5-26 : REDEMPTION OF IMPOUNDED DOGS OR CATS; FEE, DESTRUCTION IF UNREDEEMED. Dogs or cats which are impounded in the City, shall be kept in the enclosure established as the municipal pound until redeemed or until otherwise disposed of as may be directed from time to time by the City Council or any animal control officer. Such animals shall be held for at least two (2) days for redemption. Any person seeking to redeem an impounded dog or cat shall pay a fee of ten dollars ($10.00) for the first offense and twenty-five ($25.00) for the second offense plus all license fees which may be due.

In addition to the impoundment and license fees referred to herein, the person redeeming said animal shall pay the City's reasonable costs incurred by reason of impoundment.

Section 5-26.1: No dog or cat shall be redeemed from impoundment without proof of licensing and rabies vaccination.

Section 5-26.2: After two (2) days of impoundment by the City, said animal may be sent to the Macoupin County Animal Impoundment or other proper facility. Thereafter, said County's regulations will apply. Anyone wishing to redeem said animal from said County will have to deal directly with the appropriate authorities and will not be relived from any fines or administrative costs incurred by the City or provided for in this Ordinance.

There shall be added a new Section 5-29 "Bite Procedure" which shall read as follows :

Section 5-29: All incidents of bites by a dog or cat siffered by a human shall be reported to the animal control officer or his agent within twenty-four (24) hours. The animal control officer shall report all bite incidents to the Macoupin County Department of Animal Control on forms and in the time sequence required by that agency. Depending upon circumstances in each case, the following procedure shall apply :

(a)

Licensed dog or cat.

1. The owner or harborer of a properly vaccinated biter dog or cat shall have the dog or cat examined by a licensed veterinarian who shall submit a report to the animal control officer within twenty-four (24) hours of the incident.

2. The biter dog or cat may be impounded upon the licensed premises by the owner or harborer. Impoundment shall mean within a structure or secure enclosure or upon a leash upon the premises of the owner or harborer. The period of impoundment shall be ten (10) days.

3. The owner or harborer of a properly vaccinated biter dog or cat shall have the dog or cat examined by a licensed veterinarian again on the tenth (10) day of impoundment. A written report by the veterinarian that the biter dog or cat is not affected by rabies, filled with the animal control officer, shall terminate the impoundment.

(b)

Unvaccinated dog or cat.

1. The owner or harborer of a of a biter dog or cat which has not been vaccinated shall have it examined immediately by a licensed veterinarian who shall submit a report to the animal control officer within twenty-four (24) hours of the incident.

2. The owner or harborer will been impound the biter dog or cat in a licensed animal hospital for the required ten (10) day confinement period.

3. No dog or cat shall be released from impoundment until proof of vaccination and licensing is presented to the City.

This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage, approval and publication by pamphlet form as provided by law.

PASSED and APPROVED THIS 13th DAY OF APRIL, 1992

APPROVED : (illegible signature) (Signed) Note : Michael Mathis was Mayor on this date
Mayor

ATTEST : Carla A. Butler (Signed)
City Clerk

AYES: 7 NAYS: 0 ABSTAIN: 0 ABSENT: 0

STATE OF ILLINOIS
COUNTY OF MACOUPIN

)
) ss

CERTIFICATE

I, Carla Butler , certify that I am the duly elected and acting municipal clerk of the City of Gillespie , Macoupin County, Illinois.

I further certify that on April 13, 1992 , the Corporate Authorities of such municipality passed and approved Ordinance No. 92-3 , including the Ordinance and a cover sheet thereof was prepared, and a copy of such Ordinance was posted in the municipal building, commencing on April 14, 1992, and continuing for at least ten days thereafter. Copies of such Ordinance were also available for public inspection upon request in the office of the municipal clerk.

DATED at Gillespie, Illinois this 14th day of April, 1992.

(SEAL)

Carla A. Butler (Signed)
City Clerk

ORDINANCE NO. 93-1 in pdf format
Requires Adobe Reader 93-1.pdf

CITY OF GILLESPIE

ORDINANCE NO. 93 - 1

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER V, ARTICLE II, SECTION 5
OF CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF GILLESPIE, ILLINOIS
CONCERNING ANIMALS, DOGS AND CATS, BY ADDING
SECTION 5-30 ENTITLED "INOCULATION AGAINST RABIES
REQUIRED - RABIES INOCULATION TAGS"

ADOPTED BY THE
CITY COUNCIL
OF THE
CITY OF GILLESPIE
THIS 8TH DAY OF MARCH, 1993

Published in pamphlet form by authority of the City Council of the
City of Gillespie, Macoupin County, Illinois, this 9th day of March, 1993.

STATE OF ILLINOIS
COUNTY OF MACOUPIN
CITY OF GILLESPIE

)
)
)

ORDINANCE NO. 93-1

WHEREAS, Chapter V of the Municipal Code of the City of Gillespie, deals with animals and fowl and Article II thereof deals with licensing and control of dogs; and

WHEREAS, It is deemed in the best interest of the municipality that the said Article II be amended to more accurately reflect the problems presented by dogs and cats in the City of Gillespie;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GILLESPIE THAT SAID CHAPTER V, ARTICLE II, SECTION 5 BE AMENDED BY ADDING SECTION5-30 TO READ AS FOLLOWS :

There shall be a new Section 5-30 "Inoculation Against Rabies Required-Rabies Inoculation Tags" which shall read as follows:

Section 5-30: INOCULATION AGAINST RABIES REQUIRED - RABIES INOCULATION TAGS.
Every owner of a dog and / or cat four (4) months or more of age shall cause such dog and / or cat to be inoculated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian at such intervals as may hereafter be established by regulations pursuant to this Act. Evidence of such rabies inoculations shall be entered on a certificate of form of which shall be approved by the Council and which shall be signed by the licensed veterinarian administering the vaccine. The Council shall cause a rabies inoculation tag to be issued, at a fee established by the Council for each dog and / or cat inoculated against rabies.

Rabis vaccine for use on animals shall be sold or distributed only to and used only by licensed veterinarians. Such rabies vaccines shall be licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture and approved by the Department.

Section 5-30-1: UNINOCULATED DOGS AND CATS; PENALTIES.
Any person violating any provisions of this Article shall be subject to the following penalties:

(a) Whenever any uninoculated dog or cat is seized and impounded as provided in this Article, the owner thereof shall pay a fee of Twenty-five ($25.00) Dollars for the first offense. The owner shall be required to have said dog and / or cat inoculated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian administering the vaccine withinseventy-two (72) hours after release of said animal and provide to the City of Gillespie evidence of said inoculation as provided in Section 5-30.

(b) Upon failure to provide evidence of rabies inoculation, within seventy-two (72) hours of release of said animal, the owner shall be fined and required to pay and additional fee of Fifty ($50.00) Dollars for the second offense and will have seventy-two (72) hours in which to have said animal inoculated and provide evidence of said inoculation to the City.

(c) Failure to provide evidence of rabies inoculation within the next seventy-two (72) hours will be considered a third offense and will result in an additional fee of One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars. The owner of said animal will have an additional seventy-two (72) hours to provide evidence of rabies inoculation, and failure to do so will result in removal and impoundment of said animal.

This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage, approval and publication by pamphlet form as provided by law.

PASSED and APPROVED THIS 8th DAY OF MARCH, 1993.

APPROVED : (illegible signature) (Signed) Note : Michael Mathis was Mayor on this date
Mayor

ATTEST : Carla A. Erickson (Signed)
City Clerk

AYES: 6 NAYS: 0 ABSTAIN: 0 ABSENT: 2

STATE OF ILLINOIS
COUNTY OF MACOUPIN

)
) ss

CERTIFICATE

I, Carla Butler , certify that I am the duly elected and acting municipal clerk of the City of Gillespie , Macoupin County, Illinois.

I further certify that on March 8, 1993 , the Corporate Authorities of such municipality passed and approved Ordinance No. 93- / , entitled AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER V, ARTICLE II, SECTION 5 OF CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF GILLESPIE, ILLINOIS, CONCERNING ANIMALS, DOGS & CATS, BY ADDING SECTION 5-30 ENTITLED "INOCULATION AGAINST RABIES REQUIRED - RABIES INOCULATION TAGS" which provided by its terms that it should be published in pamphlet form.

The pamphlet form of Ordinance No. 93- 1 , including the Ordinance and a cover sheet thereof was prepared, and a copy of such Ordinance was posted in the municipal building, commencing on March 9, 1993, and continuing for at least ten days thereafter. Copies of such Ordinance were also available for public inspection upon request in the office of the municipal clerk.

DATED at Gillespie, Illinois this 8th day of March, 1993.

(SEAL)

Carla A. Erickson (Signed)
City Clerk

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