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WILKES-BARRE — At a work session Tuesday, council members heard from local volunteers with a nonprofit who asked for help with controlling the city’s feral cat population.
“I truly believe we can solve this problem in the next two years,” said Martha Kahan, director of No Nonsense Neutering, of Allentown. “In order for this to work, you (city council) need to make sure you have the proper ordinances that everyone will understand.”
No council member was aware of any cat ordinance on the books.
Mayor Tony George noted the city has a $25,000 budget set aside for stray and feral cats and dogs. When they are caught, they are taken to the SPCA of Luzerne County.
When the mayor made the remark, approximately 10 women in the crowd immediately shook their heads in disbelief and stated why they believe the city should take on some — if not all — of the financial burden to trap, spay or neuter, and then return the cats to the wild.
In Kahan’s proposed contract, she said the city would pay only $15 per animal for the first year before raising the price to $35 the second year.
“The city doesn’t have to pay for a person to bring the cats in,” Kahan said. “There are dedicated volunteers who are willing to do it for free. They would like the city to pay for the $35 fee (to spay or neuter).”
Kahan said Jenkins, Plains and Hanover townships have been participating for a few years. A No Nonsense Neutering same-day clinic is opening in Plains Township on May 8.
The group lists several clinics on its website, including one in Schuylkill County.
No Nonsense’s mission statement says it wants: “To end over-population of cats and dogs by providing quality and affordable spay-neuter services.”
Festival, Rockin’ the River
Aside from Kahan’s presentation, City Administrator Rich Gazenski read off two proposed items from the mayor’s agenda, including the temporary suspension of rules pertaining to open consumption of alcohol from April 27-28 for the Cherry Blossom Festival and on July 12, 19 and 26 for Rockin’ the River.
“We want people to have the opportunity to have a beer if they want to,” said Ted Wampole, executive director of the Luzerne County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Wampole did say organizers are still planning security and other details for Rockin’ the River.