A Smithers resident is requesting the town ban pet cats running at large.
Tina Portman, who lives in the Silver King subdivision, spoke at the town council meeting on Oct. 24, asking for an amendment to the animal control and licensing bylaw to also include cats.
“The current bylaw is really good,” she said to council. “It’s excellent, and it protects the property rights and health and safety of residents from pet dogs. It prohibits unsupervised roaming of dogs off their owners property, trespassing on private property.
“It prevents or prohibits pet dogs from killing animals or making excessive noise and it prohibits pet dogs from defecating on private property. But because cats are not included in this bylaw, they do all of the above in the town of Smithers.”
Portman explained that cats can destroy wildlife, damage property and create human and safety risks.
She went on to say cats are exceptional hunters and killers of wildlife.
“This makes roaming pet cats chronic violators of the BC Wildlife Act. And if they’re killing birds, it also make some violators of the federal Migratory Bird Convention Act. But closer to home and what the council probably cares more about and what Smithers residents care more about is that there are a lot of residents in town who encourage and take joy in the wildlife on their property.
“They have bird feeders and birdbaths. They may have bat houses and bird houses and toad houses. So trespassing pet cats that hunt and kill wildlife on private property are actually violating the property rights of smothers residents and their right to encourage and enjoy wildlife on their own property.”
She said cats are also destructive to gardens and urinate everywhere and their feces can have parasites in it. Cats can also be very noisy at night.
Portman said that fencing your own property isn’t enough of a deterrent as cats can jump and climb high obstacles. The costs of trying to keep cats out of one’s yard falls on to individual residents who don’t want them there, she said.
Portman said that other municipalities have adopted similar bylaws to help with cats at large and Mayor Gladys Atrill asked Portman if she knew how successful those other towns have been with the issue.
“Interesting is that it’s not all about enforcement, a lot of what it suggests is education, and public education, and other steps as well as enforcement because this small town doesn’t have the capacity to run around catching cats or, you know, penalizing cats that are running around,” Portman responded.
After council receives a delegation, councillors do not debate the issues raising the same evening. It will be on the next council agenda which is scheduled for Nov. 14.
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