The village has a number of feral cat colonies—one, for example, around the old GE plant, and another on Frazier Street that sparked the recent letters to the editor of this paper. We’ve been concerned and involved in the feral cat problem in Brockport for more than a year, despite the fact that the village government has been able to accomplish little.
The standard procedure for humanely and legally dealing with feral cats and reducing their population is to TNVR (Trap/Neuter/Vaccinate/Release and ear tip them for future identification). There are a couple of very dedicated people in Brockport who do just that, at their own expense, which is costly. No Brockport veterinarian neuters feral cats; the TNVR people use Rochester Community Animal Clinic which charges $60 per cat. Lollypop Farm will also neuter them at a cost.
Unlike dogs, which are regulated by the government with licensing requirements, New York animal care and control and municipal animal shelters are not required by law to take in cats whether they be domestic or otherwise (see https://www.nysba.org/A41338AnimalLaw/).
Only one of the 10 villages in Monroe County (East Rochester) has any code enforcement re cats. As a coterminous town/village, East Rochester has an animal control officer who deals with both dogs and cats.
Brockport has village codes re cats but we learned only recently that these particular codes (https://www.ecode360.com/12202930) are unenforceable and need to be revised. Beginning in 2005 the enforcer of the cat codes was the Sweden Animal Control officer who was paid by the village to do so. Per my conversation with her, she resigned from cat patrol more than 10 years ago after being harassed and threatened.
Last summer we applied to PetSmart for a grant to fund TNVR of feral cats, but the grant was denied. We intend to apply again with a stronger application. Chief Cuzzupoli has also been in conversation with the ASPCA about the issue. Meantime, there are some options. Engaging and educating the community about feral cats, getting interested people involved in fund raising to TNVR cats, training some in the actual trapping of same, and spreading the word on social media will help us take steps towards controlling the problem.
I am meeting next week with some people involved in the TNVR following which we plan to host a public meeting to focus on the problem and its solutions.
If you’re interested in being part of the solution, please contact me at mblackman@brockportny.org.
Margay Blackman
Mayor, Village of Brockport
