Agenda 10/13/2009 Item # 6C
Agenda Item No. 6C
October 13, 2009
Page 1 of 4
COLLIER COUNTY
OFFICE OF THE COUNTY MANAGER
3301 East Tamiami Trail- Naples, Florida 34112 - (239) 252-8383 - FAX: (239) 252-4010
September 28, 2009
Michele Antonia
Collier Community Cat Coalition, Inc.
7620 Rookery Lane
Naples, FL 34120
Re: Public Petition Request to Discuss Change Collier County's Animal Control
Ordinances to Permit TNR Program (Trap/Neuter/Return)
Dear Ms. Antonia:
Please be advised that you are scheduled to appear before the Collier County Board of
Commissioners at the meeting of October 13, 2009, regarding the above referenced
subject.
Your petition to the Board of County Commissioners will be limited to ten minutes.
Please be advised that the Board will take no action on your petition at this meeting.
However, your petition may be placed on a future agenda for consideration at the
Board's discretion. If the subject matter is currently under litigation or is an on-going
Code Enforcement case, the Board will hear the item but will not discuss the item after it
has been presented. Therefore, your petition to the Board should be to advise them of
your concern and the need for action by the Board at a future meeting.
The meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m, in the Board's Chambers on the Third Floor of the W.
Harmon Turner Building (Building "F") of the government complex, Please arrange to be
present at this meeting and to respond to inquiries by Board members.
If you require any further information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact this
office.
Sincerely,
4~ ~'~G
Leo E. Ochs, Jr. ro/'(..
Deputy County Manager
LEO/jb
cc: Jeffrey Klatzkow, County Attorney
Marla Ramsey, Public Services Administrator
Agenda Item No. 6C
October 13, 2009
Page 2 of 4
Requestto Speak under Public Petition
Please print
Name:_Michele Antonia for the Collier Community Cat Coalition, Inc.
Address: 7620 Rookery Lane
Naples, FL 34120
Phone: 239-825-4093
Date of the Board Meeting you wish to speak:
October 13, 2009
Must circle yes or no:
Is this subject matter under litigation at this time? Yes I xNo
Is this subject matter an ongoing Code Enforcement case? Yes I xNo
Note: If either answer is "yes", the Board will hear the item but will
have no discussion regarding the item after it is presented.
Please explain in detail the reason you are requesting to speak (attach
additional page if necessary):
Colonies of abandoned, stray, homeless, free roaming
and feral cats are a concern in Collier County.
The Collier Community Cat Coalition, Inc. and citizens
sympathetic to the plight of these animals are
petitioning the Board of County Commissioners to change
the animal control ordinances to allow for the humane
and effective control of abandoned, stray, homeless,
free roaming and feral cats through a
TNR(Trap/Neuter/Return and maintenance} program.
TNR programs humanely and effectively prevent new cat
colonies from being formed, prevent an increase in the
cat population, and reduce the number of cats in a
colony by
Agenda Item No. 6C
October 13, 2009
Page 3 of 4
· Immediately removing kittens and any
adoptable adult cats
· Trapping, sterilizing, and vaccinating
against rabies any unadoptable adult cats
· Returning the sterilized and vaccinated
unadoptable cats to the location where they
were trapped
· Maintaining any returned cats by providing
food and water daily, as well as ensuring that
healthcare needs of the cats are met
· Continually monitoring the colonies so that
any new cats that might appear are trapped,
sterilized, and vaccinated
Through an effective TNR program, the only humane
alternative to cat over population, the number of
abandoned, stray, homeless, free roaming and feral
cats is drastically reduced, and the colonies are
eventually eliminated.
Please explain in detail the action you are asking the Commission to take
(attach additional page if necessary):
Numerous citizens concerned about the welfare of the
abandoned, stray, homeless, free roaming, and feral
cats have been conducting their own TNR programs
throughout Collier County for many years with
impressive results.
The Collier Community Cat Coalition, Inc., a SOlC3
organization is petitioning the Commission to change
Collier County's animal control ordinances to permit
TNR.
The Coalition will partner with Domestic Animal
Services and serve as a liaison between the citizens
who are the cat colony caretakers and DAS.
Agenda Item No. 6C
October 13, 2009
Page 4 of 4
The Coalition sees this partnership as an asset to
Collier County, one that will help the county save
resources, both money and manpower.
Changing the ordinances to permit TNR will encourage an
organized effort and broaden the scope of existing
activities resulting in increased sterilizations and
vaccinationsi fewer abandoned, stray, homeless, free
roaming, and feral cats; and a reduction in the number
of cat colonies, with the ultimate goal being no cat
colonies.
This, in turn, should reduce the number of nuisance cat
complaints coming to DAB, freeing animal control
officers to attend to more serious matters. A TNR
program should also curb the number of cat intakes at
DAB, therefore cutting back on the number of cat
euthanasias. Fewer euthanasias ameliorates the impact
of compassion fatigue and stress on DAB employees.
By changing the animal control ordinances to legalize a
TNR program, a data collection system can be
established to prove the effectiveness of the program.
Changing the ordinances to legalize Trap/Neuter/Return
and maintenance in Collier County is a win-win endeavor
for all parties.