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Windsor

Cat Control Program Expands in Amherstburg

Feline friends in Amherstburg will continue to be cared for under an expanded cat control program.

However, town council deferred discussion on a proposed bylaw prohibiting residents from feeding stray cats and other wildlife until councillors have more information.

Nicole Rubli, Amherstburg's manager of licensing and enforcement, tells BlackburnNewsWindsor.com that the voucher program for residents will continue, along with some financial support for two animal care organizations.

"There will be 100 vouchers for residents," says Rubli. "In addition, there was $3,000 allotted for two cat organizations that we have operating in the town Amherstburg. They'll be allotted 30 spay-and-neuter vouchers each as well."

For the coming year, $5,000 has been put aside for the voucher program. Ten of those will be for low-income households wishing to spay or neuter a pet cat. The rest will be reserved for feral cats.

The town will also enter into a one-year agreement with the Windsor-Essex County Humane Society for a cat intake services program, to help stray cats receive care until they are ready for adoption.

Like most municipalities, feral cats have been an issue with concerns over the spread of filth and disease. This problem came to the town's attention in 2011, but a plan to set money aside for spaying and neutering was not put in place until a year ago.

"In 2016, the council decided to allocate money to the spay-and-neuter program," says Rubli. "And now we are pleased to say that we've had a reduced number of cat complaints."

54 vouchers were issued in 2016, and at least 93 vouchers have been redeemed so far this year.

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