The co-founder of Fortunate Felines Rescue is heartbroken cats are excluded from Moncton’s updated animal control bylaw which has passed first reading.
Tammy Robichaud says few people realize the revised bylaw focuses on dogs and not cats.
The current bylaw allows enforcement officers to respond to feline-related calls.
Moncton Fire Chief/Director of Community Safety Conrad Landry told Moncton City Council that the new bylaw was never intended for cats.
Landry said there is not a lot of demand in calls for stray cats.
But Robichaud says the six cat rescues in Greater Moncton don’t have the law on their side.
“The current bylaw covers the animal control officer to go in there. If something has been reported, they can go in and investigate and they can remove the animals legally, with the law on their side because of what they’ve found. A cat rescue can’t do that.”
Robichaud says the cat rescues are run by volunteers who are already coping with a severe overpopulation of cats in Greater Moncton.
She says the rescue groups are rallying together and urge concerned residents to contact their city councillor to ensure cats are included in the updated bylaw.
“Let’s try to keep cats and animals in the bylaw, we need them to be protected as well. Help us to help them. We are their voice and so are you.”
At the last Moncton City Council meeting on August 16, the updated animal control bylaw passed first reading and Councillor Shawn Crossman was the only nay vote.
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