By Bill Cleary
John P. Schmidt a new member of the Gloucester City Board of Health has been busy since he was appointed to the body by Mayor William James.
When several people complained about a large number of feral cats running at large in the Riverview Heights section of the City, Schmidt visited the area to get a firsthand look at the problem. Afterwards he visited the City\’s Animal Controller (Almost Home Animal Shelter) to talk with them about what could be done with this problem.
Photo: A few of the eight feral cats running loose in the Riverview Heights section of the city. One resident said, \”Some people are feeding the cats. Others have allowed the cats to live in their run down garages and old sheds. And the cats keep having liters. The problem gets bigger every day.\”
The Shelter is located in Pennsauken. The City pays the company $7,646 a year to pick up strays. Besides Gloucester City the Shelter services Pennsauken, Audubon, Audubon Park and Collingswood.
Following his visit Schmidt compiled a report. He states, \”I noticed the cages for the dogs were small. There are 36 cages sitting on a cement floor. The other reason that I went out there was to see if they could do anything about feral cats. Under state law if they bring in a feral cat the shelter has to hold the cats for seven days before releasing them. The shelter has no place to put these cats, and they do not have the funds to neuter the feral cats.
\”I think that there must be someway a shelter should be required to have outside space for dogs to run. The shelter is underfunded. Either the county or the municipalities have to give more money to make sure the shelter is up to code.
\”The person in charge of the shelter, (Nancy) said she met last year with City Clerk Paul J. Kain, who told her that Gloucester City will not give the shelter any more money.
Schmidt suggested that the City get together with other municipalities to better fund the Shelter, or possibly use the Camden County Animal Shelter instead. \”If the previous is implemented then maybe something could be done about the feral cat problems.\”
Prior to Schmidt visiting the Shelter a reporter from the NEWS had spoken with a woman at the Shelter named Donna. She was asked what to do about all the feral cats running about in the Riverview Heights section of the City. He was told to tell it to City Hall. \”The City has to put into place a system where the cats would be caught, neuter, and then released back into the area
designated as a feral cat colony. She explained feral cats are wild, cannot be picked up, will bite in some cases. She emphasized their contract with the City does not include capturing feral cats.
The reporter contacted City Clerk Kathy Jentsch via e-mail and she wrote back, \”Feral cats have been a big problem in Gloucester City for a long time. The information they provided you is correct. The name of the company we have the contract with for animal control is Community Animal Care but the name of the shelter is Almost Home. They have told the City in the past that something needs to be done on our end. However, as you stated who is going to agree to do this. (meaning what neighborhood would volunteer to house a feral cat colony).
Feral cats previously were able to be caught by our animal control but since the shelters are currently all full there is nothing they can do. There is no one that is willing to take feral cats for us. Sorry this is not what you wanted to hear but everything she provided is true.\”
Schmidt plans to ask the Board to approve a resolution limiting the number of animals a citizen could own to five. He said,\”the resolution includes a grandfathered clause. The law, if approved, would not take people\’s pets just limiting them over time. Say you have seven, when one of the animals’ passes away you would not be able to replace it with another one. \”
Schmidt is also planning to introduce another resolution that would prevent animal owners from keeping their pet tethered for more than 24 hours.
Besides Schmidt, the other Board members are: Eleanor Kain, president, Michael Hainsworth, vice president, Anna Marie Smith, secretary, James Johnson, Roseanne Michael , Effie Hagan. Alternates Bruce Marks and Joseph Hartzel. Hagan recently resigned.
The Board of Health meets Monday, May 14 at the Municipal Building, 512 Monmouth Street, at 7 PM. The public is invited.