Alley Cat Allies opposes all acts of cruelty to cats. Read more about our work at alleycat.org/Anti-Cruelty For more information about the lives of wild cats, visit the Alley Cat Allies page — www.alleycat.org/FeralCat In most places, the courts have no guidelines other than customary law to deal with wild cat issues. A person who feeds feral cats outside their office building every morning may not be held responsible at all, while a person who provides shelter, food, water, and veterinary services to a group of wild cats is more likely to be held responsible for the actions of those animals. Ideally, more state and local lawmakers should begin to tackle this complex and convoluted area of law. Custodians and caregivers provide a valuable service, and the law should not prevent these people from caring for animals in need. Under the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS), cats and other animals can enter the UK without quarantine, provided they meet certain requirements. Although chickens, turkeys and other birds feel pain just like other animals, they are not protected by this law. The application of this law was deemed «inconsistent» by government inspectors. Local laws (also called ordinances) are established by local governments to solve problems unique to their community. Understanding your local laws is important to being an effective cat advocate. Just like in state laws, pay attention to definitions, especially the word «owner.» Many local laws incorrectly apply the definition of «owner» to people who care for cats in the community. This interpretation is wrong because community cat caregivers do not own stray and community cats. Caregivers do not create or maintain the outdoor cat population.

Cat caregivers in the community are good Samaritan volunteers who perform a public service valued by local authorities, animal control authorities, animal shelters and the public. It is unfair to impose fines, fees and other ownership costs on them that the law imposes on homeowners. You might think that laws across the country regarding free-ranging cats would be similar; However, this is not the case. There are big differences in terms of intrusion, cat license, mandatory castration, etc. California is at the forefront of several other statewide animal welfare efforts. In 2017, California became the first state to adopt a statewide «retail pet ban.» Under this law, retail stores such as pet stores are only allowed to sell cats, dogs and rabbits from shelters and rescue groups – not commercial breeders. Maryland passed its own statewide ban on pet retailing in 2018, becoming the second state with this type of law. If someone has too many cats on their home property, the local board may require the landlord to ask at the planning stage to change the use of the property. They do so knowing that planning is unlikely to be granted. Often, regardless of how the law is drafted, a cat`s status as possessed or unspoiled can wrongly determine the seriousness of a cruelty case and how it is investigated and prosecuted (or even if it is). That`s why Alley Cat Allies is committed to ensuring that all cats are equally valued and protected under animal cruelty laws, whether they live indoors with humans or are unsaltered community cats living outdoors.

Connecticut: Section 22-339d. Municipal control of wild cats. This allows municipalities to issue ordinances requiring the registration of wild cat «keepers,» defined as anyone who regularly harbours or feeds a wildcat. If a municipality issues such an order, the order must require the caregiver to sterilize the cat and have it vaccinated against rabies. The law also allows municipalities to issue ordinances that hold cat owners and owners accountable if their cats cause significant property damage or serious injury to health. While it`s not clear what the laws are regarding free-roaming cats, it`s a common question Americans ask themselves. Nearly 32 million households in the United States have one or more cats as pets, which means that about 25% of households have a Simba or Cleo. Read on to learn more about the regulations and general laws that affect your furry baby`s ability to experience an outdoor adventure. State laws provide a general framework that local governments must consider when creating more specific ordinances tailored to the unique needs of their community. State laws may cover issues such as combating cruelty, abandoning animals, accessing castration and castration drugs, and monitoring animal shelters.

You can learn more about state laws and how they impact cats in alleycat.org/CatsAndTheLaw.