Cat license issue

[Guest]

The TC should offer free micro-chiping with every licensed cat.

[Guest]

Is there a cat problem in our town?

[Cranbury Conservative]

This just seems like more unneeded bureaucracy.

[Guest]

What is the TC's proof of Cranbury's "cat problem"?

Here is an excerpt I found from the author that talked to the TC:

"Municipalities need to enact local cat ordi-
nances similar to those for dogs. Cats run-
ning at large lead to negative perceptions:
defecating in gardens and children’s play
areas, urinating to mark territory creating
offensive odors, killing beautiful song birds,
scratching cars and howling at night waking
everyone up to name a few"

Has anyone ever found this statement to be true in Cranbury?

For the whole document, see page 3:

http://www.njlbha.org/Newsletters/BOH%20Newsletter%20Spring%202008.pdf

[Guest]

Again, how are you going to know that the cat is domestic or a stray? No cat will come up to a stranger.

[Cranbury Conservative]

Here are some numbers to put this all in perspective...

According to the State of NJ in 2007 77% of rabid animals were raccoons, 14% were skunks, 4% were cats, 2% were foxes, and 2% were groundhogs.

For 2008 in NJ there have been 159 cases of rabid animals. Cats have accounted for 11 of those cases with raccoons being 113 of the cases and skunks accounting for 24.

As I look at the numbers I am left with the fact that 11 cats statewide is really not an epidemic. It appears the focus should be on stopping the spread of rabies through the raccoon population. I am not however an expert on the topic it is just my opinion since the raccoons seem to be the main source of rabies issues here in NJ.

In the report which was posted I noticed that finances were referenced several times regarding how cat license could pay for this and that.

It appears this all comes down to generating revenue under the guise of public health and the motives for licensing cats from the State should be looked at locally by the TC very skeptically.

Finally we really do have bigger issues to worry about here in Cranbury other then Cat licenses.

[Guest]

"It appears this all comes down to generating revenue under the guise of public health and the motives for licensing cats from the State should be looked at locally by the TC very skeptically. "

I agree. Let's change the "cat license" to "cat tax" to properly state its purpose.

"Finally we really do have bigger issues to worry about here in Cranbury other then Cat licenses."

Agree, but the "cat license" issue is more in our TC's control than the COAH3 issue.

[Guest]

Let's institute a racoon tax and groundhog tax. If you find one in your yard you own it and have to pay. We could then expand it to rabbitts. We could end up with no property taxes, just animal taxes.

[Guest]

just don't include chipmunks - we have hundreds!

[Cat Fancier]

This "cat tax" is another added line item that will be added to our 2009 Cranbury Township Budget. Do you really think the licensing fees will cover any of the costs involved?

A great article from the San Francisco SPCA spells it out:
"Cat licensing will cost local governments and taxpayers money, not raise it, resulting in a net loss to animal control and/or other vital government services. Indeed, we doubt whether revenues raised would even cover basic administrative expenses. For example, each license fee collected - and most proposals we've seen set the fee between $5 and $10 - will have to cover the costs of manufacturing, handling, storing and mailing the actual licenses (and/or implanting microchips), handling the checks and cash received, issuing receipts, recording and filing the necessary data on each cat and owner, updating the data as needed, responding to public questions and comments, mailing out renewal notices and reminders, preparing accounting statements and annual program reports, etc. This list doesn't include overhead or initial start- up expenses, like hiring and training staff to run the new program and developing ne computer programs and databases.

And if the fees collected won't cover basic administrative expenses, they certainly won't cover the enormous costs of public awareness campaigns and enforcement. As noted above, "voluntary" compliance with cat licensing mandates is notoriously low. To raise compliance rates, the community will have to be made aware of the new mandate: door-to-door canvassing, city and countywide mailings, advertisements in local print media - all bear significant costs. And these campaigns will have to be repeated on a regular basis to maintain public awareness. Of course, these efforts alone won't ensure compliance, and they will have to be backed by meaningful enforcement. New enforcement staff will have to be hired, or existing staff taken away from other essential duties, in order to patrol the community for unlicensed cats, respond to complaints, issue citations, prepare reports,etc. And all these costs will have to be paid by local taxpayers, either through higher taxes or through cuts in other vital government services. "

http://www.cfainc.org/articles/sfspca.html

[State of NJ]

What is the history of rabies in New Jersey?
In the earlier part of this century, New Jersey had a large problem with rabies in dogs. In 1939, the worst year for dog rabies, 675 dogs and four humans died of rabies. In 1942, a rabies program consisting of mass vaccination of dogs, and pick-up of stray animals was initiated. As a result of these efforts, New Jersey experienced its last case of canine rabies in 1956. In 1960, the first case of rabies in bats was detected in New Jersey. Presently, 2% to 5% of all New Jersey bats submitted to the state laboratory for testing are positive for rabies.

In 1997, a New Jersey man was diagnosed with rabies. He had removed bats from his house and may have been bitten by a bat in the process. This was the first human case of rabies since 1971, when a man was bitten by a bat and received partial treatment with the previously used rabies vaccine. The current vaccine, unlike the previous vaccine, has never failed when administered properly.
New Jersey is facing another challenge from rabies. Raccoon rabies has spread throughout the state.

How did the outbreak of rabies in raccoons get started in this part of the country?
In 1977, rabid raccoons were first detected in West Virginia. It is believed that rabies was present in raccoons imported from Florida into West Virginia by hunters in the 1970's. The disease then spread to other raccoons after they were released. Once raccoon rabies was established in West Virginia and Virginia, it spread at a rate of approximately 25 to 50 miles per year into Maryland, Washington, D.C., Delaware, and Pennsylvania. This rabies epizootic spread into New Jersey through Warren and Hunterdon counties in October 1989. The raccoon rabies epizootic now extends throughout New England and as far west as Ohio, and south into North Carolina. (Note: an epizootic is a term used to denote an epidemic of disease in an animal population).

What areas of New Jersey are affected the most?

All areas of the State of New Jersey, including urban centers, have been affected by this rabies outbreak. Suburban areas in which raccoons, people and pets are in close proximity have had the highest number of cases.

How can I protect myself from being exposed to rabies?

Wild animals, particularly raccoons, foxes, skunks, groundhogs and bats, are most likely to be infected with rabies. Although raccoons are the most frequently infected animals in the current rabies outbreak, other animals are often bitten and infected by raccoons. Wild animals with rabies do not always display signs of illness and can be perfectly healthy in appearance. Avoid all contact with bats, particularly sick or downed ones. All bites and scratches from these animals should be washed out immediately and receive prompt medical attention. If possible, wild animals that have been exposed to humans or domestic animals should be captured and tested for rabies.

Why recommend that domestic animals get vaccinated if raccoons are the animals spreading rabies?

Raccoons are very good at spreading rabies. When rabid raccoons enter an area, many other types of animals acquire rabies from raccoons. From 1989 through 2000, over 4,300 New Jersey animals were found to have rabies as a result of the raccoon rabies epizootic. Although 77% of these animals were raccoons, 14% were skunks, 4% were cats, 2% were foxes, and 2% were groundhogs. Twelve other species of animals were also diagnosed with rabies.

Can raccoons be vaccinated against rabies?
An oral rabies vaccine for raccoons in a fish-flavored bait, called V-RG, has been tested in southern New Jersey and shown to be effective. This vaccine has recently been approved for general use by the United States Department of Agriculture and could be used by municipalities to reduce or control the spread of rabies in raccoon populations. However, state review and approval is needed to purchase this vaccine and its use would not replace traditional rabies control measures, such as domestic animal vaccination and animal control activities.

http://www.state.nj.us/health/cd/rabies.htm

[Frugality in Cranbury]

[Frugality in Cranbury]

[Guest]

Those people called "public servants" don't have power over the Raccoon group, and those poor raccoons don't have money to pay tax and don't give a damn about ordinances.

Those people called "public servants" can call in an "expert" to support their policy and tax the cat owners for the benefits of society as postulated by the so called "expert." So who is this expert? Well, he is the one who supports the public servants' policy.

[Guest]

[joe the plumber]

Have you ever tried to catch a cat?
You can't do it unless the cat wants to be caught!