Bartholomew County delays changes to animal care ordinance

Bartholomew County Commissioners have put off changes to the county’s animal control ordinance that concerned animal care advocates.

Instead, the commissioners will work to address some concerns especially working with the Bartholomew County Humane Society to refine the way the county handles feral cats.

County Commissioners on Monday tabled a second and final approval of updates to the animal control ordinances. A large crowd turned out and spoke against changes particularly to the section dealing with cats. Under the proposed ordinance changes, the county animal control department would no longer treat feral cats as a domesticated animal to be captured. Instead, the county would treat the cats as a wild animal outside of their purview.

Commissioners cited financial concerns saying the county is facing future funding cutbacks imposed by the state. And said the county is facing hard choices in how to spend limited funds. In January, the county approved a five year, $100,000 contract with the Humane Society to cover the costs for the first 125 animals turned over to the shelter annually. After that first group of animals, each additional animal would be accepted at a cost to the county of $950 each.

But animal advocates said that leaving feral cats alone would lead to an explosion in the animal population as they breed without limits. It would also increase the cats impact on the natural environment through killing other wildlife, and could lead to more spread of diseases such as rabies.

Most said the preferred method to deal with feral cats is to capture the animals, neuter and immunize them, clip their ear and send them back where they came from. And the advocates spoke against the county ending its involvement in that process.