The mayor says material on leashes for cats in his proposed animal control ordinance was just for informational purposes only.
WEST SPRINGFIELD - Mayor Gregory C. Neffinger Wednesday issued a press release stating that he does not “in any form” advocate instituting a leash law for cats.
The mayor also said he does not support requiring owners of felines to clean up after them.
Neffinger’s press release came in reaction to news reports outlining the 12-page proposed animal control ordinance he sent to the city council. It includes provisions for requiring that cats be leashed and that their owners clean up after them as well as proposed limits on the number of cats and dogs residents may keep in their homes.
However, the mayor said the wording about the leashing of cats in the proposed ordinance should have been highlighted with a footnote explaining that some communities have adopted similar leash requirements, but they are not part of state animal control laws.
“Instead the wording was erroneously put in there as is without any indication that the cat regulations were for informational purposes only,” the mayor's announcement stated.
It further stated that Neffinger has asked the Health Department director, Jeanne Galloway, to correct the proposed ordinance “so that it would be clear which part is required by Massachusetts law and what is intended from ordinances of nearby communities. These corrections will be forwarded to the council.”
“Although the mayor does not advocate leash laws for cats, he felt this issue should be discussed with the city council, so that they could weigh in on how this problem will be handled in the new ordinance,” the press release concludes.
The statement reads that the city’s feral cat population poses a problem and that the city receives more complaints about cats than about dogs.
It further states that feline AIDS and feline leukemia are rampant, that the life of an outdoor cat is one-third that of an indoor cat and that animal control issues have been discussed at length with city department heads.
The proposal was the subject of a public hearing by the city council last week and has been referred to its ordinance and policy subcommittee. The committee started work on the proposed ordinance Monday and will take it up again at its 6 p.m. Monday session in the council office in the municipal building.
Westfield and Agawam have ordinances requiring cats to be leashed in public spaces and that their owners clean up after them. However, Agawam Animal Control Officer Allison Strong said she has never written a ticket for an unleashed cat and that the ordinance is difficult to enforce, so much so that she sought its repeal.