[MissoulaGov] Highlights for Monday's public hearings

[Phil Smith]

And for a different view, I don't have a cat but I rather enjoy those
which belong to various neighbors and which wander in and out of my yard
from time to time.

 

Phil Smith

 

From: missoulagov-bounces at cmslists.com
[mailto:missoulagov-bounces at cmslists.com] On Behalf Of Derek Goldman
Sent: Monday, January 12, 2009 3:12 PM
To: jim parker; Bob Jaffe; missoulagov at cmslists.com
Subject: Re: [MissoulaGov] Highlights for Monday's public hearings

 

Jim, sorry about your cat--that's horrible!
Maybe I was't clear, though. I don't think cats and dogs need to have
ALL the same rules, but they certainly share at least SOME potentially
annoying behaviors (eg: biting, defecating, harassing wildlife) wouldn't
you say? So, some of those dog rules are still applicable. 
Yes, of course, they are different species, however, the community
problems a cat can cause -- like a problem dog -- do not necessarily
have anything to do with its capacity to reproduce. Yet, as the law
currently reads, lack of sterility is the ONLY problem for which there
is a legal recourse for neighbors. That was my main point.
That being said, I agree that just being at-large does not necessarily
imply the cat (or dog, for that matter) is causing a problem. It's what
happens while the animal is at large. Maybe there is some compromise
language we can find here...
Thanks, Derek 

 





________________________________

From: westridge at montana.com
To: derekmgold at hotmail.com; bjaffe at ci.missoula.mt.us;
missoulagov at cmslists.com
Subject: RE: [MissoulaGov] Highlights for Monday's public hearings
Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2009 10:56:14 -0700

Derek and City Council Members:

 

I have family in town and will not be able to come to tonight's public
hearing on the cat ordinance changes, but here are my thoughts in regard
to Derek Goldman's last comment...for the record.

 

Cats are not dogs. That being said...and being a cat owner who's cat was
shot in the eye a year ago from one of our 'neighbors' at point blank
range, in an effort to kill the cat-even though our cat had a collar on
with our info for contact...

 

Here's my point...cats do not recognize fences and yard lines like dogs
and are indeed, more commonly, wilder-as part of their genetic
coding-than dogs-a different species and must be recognized as
such---unless they happen to be fully domesticated inside cats.

 

Not all domestics can be treated the same (dogs and cats; horses and
llamas; chickens and parakeets). To legislate that a cat must behave
'like a dog' and not ever wander beyond its property takes the basis of
its true nature out of the animal, which I consider unfair to the
animal. This is not to say your interests to keep your freshly dug
garden beds cat poop free is not an issue-it is, but within constraints
of accepting pets as a part of society and doing what we can to support
the genetic, true nature of many cats while respecting your rights as a
property owner without cats.

 

What we've done is 'talk to our neighbors', and given them our cat's
picture and our contact number so if she causes problems, they come to
us, not take out their anger, etc., on an animal just filling its
nature.

 

I believe the language you suggest changing should not be altered. We
still must behave as citizens and be responsible, not expect to alter an
animal's genetic codes because we want it so.

 

Respectfully,  Jim Parker

 

 

Jim Parker, Owner

WestRidge Creative

PO Box 8492

Missoula, MT  59807

Phone: 406.327.1596

Fax:     406.542.0513

www.westridgecreative.com <http://www.westridgecreative.com/> 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: missoulagov-bounces at cmslists.com
[mailto:missoulagov-bounces at cmslists.com] On Behalf Of Derek Goldman
Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2009 12:55 PM
To: bjaffe at ci.missoula.mt.us; missoulagov at cmslists.com
Subject: Re: [MissoulaGov] Highlights for Monday's public hearings

 

thanks for the heads up, Bob. Re the cat ordinance:

I'm not sure why the ammendment proposes to change the definition of a
bothersome cat from "nuisance" to "unnattended." I looked up the dog
ordinance, and bothersome DOGS are indeed referred to as "nuisance." So
why not cats? We should be consistent so as not to send a message that
dogs can be bothersome, but cats cannot be.

I would also recommend one additional change to close a loophole in the
cat ordinance:
In the definition of a nuisance/unattended cat, please strike the last 4
words of the sentence that requires a cat to be unaltered in order to
fit the definition.  If a cat is off it's owner's property, then it may
be causing problems with its neighbors irrespective of its reproductive
status.
Excessive cat breeding is indeed a problem, but it is only one problem
caused by loose cats. Urination and defecation in private and community
gardens, flower beds, compost piles, and under decks, as well as
harassment of native wildlife and other pets also present problems. But
as the ordinance is currently writen, a cat can legally do all these
things as long as it is neutered or spayed. That seems odd (and also
inconsistent with dog ordinance, which lists "defecation..." as one of
the many activities that define a nuisance dog). Please send this back
for reconsideration. 
Thanks, Derek Goldman

 





________________________________

Date: Sun, 11 Jan 2009 10:53:32 -0700
From: BJaffe at ci.missoula.mt.us
To: missoulagov at cmslists.com
Subject: [MissoulaGov] Highlights for Monday's public hearings

We have five public hearings scheduled for tomorrow.

Here are some highlights in case anyone wants to come and comment (you
can also comment by sending mail to council at ci.missoula.mt.us).

 

Cats:  

ftp://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/Packets/Council/2008/2008-12-15/2008CatOrdin
anceAmendment%5B1%5D.pdf
<ftp://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/Packets/Council/2008/2008-12-15/2008CatOrdi
nanceAmendment[1].pdf> 

 

There are a few changes to the ordinance being proposed. 

'Nuisance cat' is replaced by 'unattended cat'. An unattended cat is an
unaltered cat off of its owner's property. To be the owner of an
unattended cat is illegal.

A breeding cat is an unaltered cat 4 months old. It used to be six
months.

 

It is unlawful to own a pair of unaltered cats of the opposite sex
without a breeders license.

It is unlawful to own more than five cats without a breeders license
(this appears to be the controversial one)

 

A breeders license costs $50 and requires an inspection.

 

Dogs:

Pet Day Care Centers are defined.  

Leashes are required within 200 feet of trailheads.

If an unaltered dog is picked up three times in its life it gets
sterilized. There used to be an option to pay $250 to avoid
sterilization.

The following paragraph is included in the unlawful section:

 

For a dog owner to cause, allow, permit, either willfully or by failure
to

exercise due care, to allow a dog to be a nuisance barking dog. EXCEPT:

that such sounds made at animal shelters, commercial kennels, pet
daycare

centers and veterinary hospitals which meet the proper zoning
requirements

2. shall be exempt 

 

The "Pet Daycare centers" were included in the exemption when it was
originally presented to us. I asked that this be removed. I am hoping to
hear from people on this prior to making a final decision.  These
businesses can have a very high impact on their neighbors.

 

Park Fees:

General incremental increase in the parks fees. There may be some open
issues on the rate set for the 50 meter pool. There was an expectation
that it would be rented out at full cost this year but I believe the
proposal still has a general fund subsidy.

 

Other Public Hearings:

We also have a couple of annexations including the large Linda Vista
Estates subdivision.

 

Bob Jaffe

Missoula City Council, Ward 3

bjaffe at ci.missoula.mt.us

               406-728-1052        

 

________________________________

Windows Live(tm): Keep your life in sync. See how it works.
<http://windowslive.com/howitworks?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_t1_allup_howitworks
_012009> 

 

________________________________

Windows Live(tm): Keep your life in sync. Check it out.
<http://windowslive.com/explore?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_t1_allup_explore_01200
9> 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://www.cmslists.com/pipermail/missoulagov/attachments/20090112/5dbaab8a/attachment.htm>