Brighton to consult on cat-control by-law

Cat in the Park. By Shawn Rain. Free Use Domain-Upsplash.

By: Dan Jones, Northumberland 89.7 FM, Local Journalism Initiative.

Stray and feral cats are becoming a problem in Brighton, so the municipality will consult the public on a proposed bylaw which will focus on controlling roaming felines, similar to dogs within town limits.

A report provided to Council by By-Law Enforcement Services states that cats are having a negative impact on bird ecosystems, adding that Brighton is a destination for birdwatchers. As well outdoor activities like gardens are bothered as gardeners must clear their beds of any defecation.

By-Law Enforcement Officer Samantha Sheppard, who prepared the report told Councillors Monday night, that once the by-law is enforced, a contracted humane society would be responsible for attending the call, apprehending the cat and preparing the feline for possible adoption or reunification.

“If we implement a cat-control by-law, then if there is a complaint about about a stray cat or an injured cat or anything like that, the Humane Society, we would pass the call onto them and they would be responsible for trapping and bringing the cats back to the Humane Society,” said Sheppard.

Sheppard’s report outlined possible service providers either the Quinte Humane Society and Pierce Animal Control, or the Northumberland Humane Society, or combination thereof. She explained while this would be a sole-sourced contract, stating the Northumberland Humane Society would be best suited to fulfill this service.

“In my opinion, I would say through all my research that the Northumberland Humane Society is the better option, just because they have animal control services in-house. What we are doing right now, is that we are contracted to Pierce Animal Control, who picks up the animals and delivers them to Quinte Humaine Society who is operating as our pound operator. So, we have two separate contracts with two separate organizations,” Shepard explained. 

Brighton does have a dog control bylaw. The Northumberland Humane Society would charge $17,000 annually for both dog and cat services, compared to $15,000 for the dog portion of the contract. A resolution was passed to direct municipal staff to investigate best humane practices and to prepare a by-law report before next February.