Fresno County Municipal Code Ch. 9.10 Community Cat Population Management

The following words and terms used in this chapter are defined for purposes thereof as follows:

A. "Caregiver" means any person, or any Fresno County governmental entity (directly or through arrangements with third parties), providing support or sustenance to a community cat in a good-faith effort to facilitate the protection and welfare of human beings, community cats, and/or other species. Such support or sustenance may include providing food, shelter, or medical/veterinary care to a community cat, but does not constitute any indication of the caregiver's ownership of, or any legal or equitable right or interest in, the community cat.

B. "Cat" means an animal of the genus and species Felis domesticus.

C. "Community cat" means a cat who has no identifiable signs of ownership and who primarily lives outdoors in Fresno County—whether alone, as part of an identifiable colony of similar cats, or otherwise. A community cat may be born feral or be a cat who previously lived with human beings. Neither temperament nor degree of socialization are considerations with respect to the determination of whether a cat is a community cat.

D. "Community cat protocol" means the process of humanely trapping community cats in accordance with the provisions of this section; checking for microchips and other indicia of ownership of the community cat; providing a veterinary evaluation of the community cat; vaccinations and other medical care as necessary and appropriate; sterilizing the community cat; ear-tipping, and possibly tattooing the community cat, for purposes of identifying the community cat as a sterilized animal; and returning the community cat to its original habitat location or as close as feasible to such location.

E. "Ear-tipping" means the anesthetized, sterile, surgical removal of a small notch of a community cat's left ear by a State of California licensed veterinarian.

(Ord. No. 22-010, § 1, 7-12-2022)

The County of Fresno may establish a fund or provide services to offset the costs of the community cat protocol. To the extent that funding is available, caregivers may be assisted by the county in carrying out the community cat protocol.

(Ord. No. 22-010, § 1, 7-12-2022)

A. This community cat protocol shall be the preferred disposition for community cats, subject to a licensed veterinarian's determination of each community cat's health and presumed ability to live outdoors. Any person, or any Fresno County governmental entity (directly or through arrangements with third parties), is authorized to conduct and/or facilitate this community cat protocol and to treat community cats who otherwise come into their possession in a manner consistent with the principles of the community cat protocol.

B. Only a humane box trap or drop trap may be utilized when trapping a community cat. No darts, tranquilizers, or any other mind-altering substances may be administered to a community cat when being trapped.

C. Once trapped, a community cat shall be transported to a facility which provides spay/neuter services in accordance with California law. No tranquilizers or any other mind-altering substances may be administered to a community cat while being transported. While being transported, the community cat shall be safely enclosed within the motor vehicle or otherwise safely prevented from escape.

D. All veterinary procedures conducted under this community cat protocol, including, but not limited to, sterilizing, vaccinating, ear-tipping, and tattooing, shall be done in accordance with California law.

E. A sterilized and ear-tipped community cat shall be returned to the location from which the community cat was trapped or as close to such location as possible.

F. By providing support or sustenance to a community cat, a caregiver does not obtain any legal or equitable right or interest in, or become the owner, harborer, controller or keeper of the community cat.

G. No aspect of the community cat protocol, including the return of a community cat to its outdoor location, constitutes abandonment of the community cat.

H. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Fresno County Ordinance Code, a California licensed veterinarian (or his/her designee) may provide a community cat to a caregiver for the purpose of returning the community cat to its original habitat location in accordance with this community cat protocol.

(Ord. No. 22-010, § 1, 7-12-2022)

Treatment and medical records pertaining to community cats shall be maintained separate and apart from records pertaining to other animals.

(Ord. No. 22-010, § 1, 7-12-2022)