Winnipeg will change the law to allow people to legally do TNR work

NEWS AND COMMENT: CBS News reports that it's going to become legal to care for feral cats in Winnipeg under TNR programs if the community services committee agrees to proposed changes. Why should there be a need for a change in the bylaws of the City of Winnipeg just to do TNR work which is a way of controlling feral cat population numbers?

Winnipeg, Canada will change the city bylaws to allow TNR programs to conducted legally.

Well, in Winnipeg you need a licence to own a cat or dog. This is unusual. There are very few cities that demand a cat licence. For dogs it is normal because dogs are more dangerous to people than cats but in Winnipeg they have some quite strict rules about pet ownership.

Because of these licensing laws, there appears to be an unintended consequence in caring for feral cats because it might mean that a volunteer becomes a de facto owner of a feral cat or cats. And therefore they would have to get a licence which is not what was intended.

In fact, it would probably be in violation of the current pet licensing laws to do TNR work in Winnipeg. This problem in the bylaws of the city needs to be rectified. People engaged in TNR programs and caring for feral cats have been pushing for a change in the law for some time.

One of those people is Lynne Scott of Craig Street Cats. She said that, "Anyone who cares for a cat in their yard becomes the de facto owner of the cat."

This can lead to being fined or receiving some other penalty. It's an ambiguity within the existing city laws.

The change will allow people to do TNR work and look after feral cats provided they keep their area of operation clean and tidy and do not build too many shelters and other structures in order to maintain the amenity in the area and satisfy residents.

The Animal Services General Manager of Winnipeg, Leland Gordon, is keen for this change to take place to make it entirely legal for people to do TNR work.

The community services committee supports the change and it should go through their committee successfully on January 10, 2024. 

They hope it will encourage people to volunteer to limit feral cat population numbers. Organisations involved in this kind of work will have to have a cat management program recognised by Animal Services or be registered with a recognised cat management program.

Sources: CBC NEWS and the City of Winnipeg website.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.