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Lane County Animal Services (LCAS) used to accept feral cats and would then euthanize them; they no longer do this and are instead promoting a developing trap, neuter and return program in conjunction with other local animal welfare groups. A review of information and research on the Internet (see attachments) indicates that the recommended and most humane way to address the problem of feral cats is the “trap, neuter and release” method. In this approach the cats are captured, treated for medical issues, vaccinated, spayed or neutered and then released. This program is outlined in several of the attached articles. Clearly, the need to spay/neuter is paramount to address the pet over-population problem nationally and locally and to address feral cats. At the current time, the City operates a low cost spay/neuter clinic for owned animals, there is no option for addressing feral cats at the City’s clinic. The clinic is self-supporting and thus sets it fees to cover costs. The Spay and Neuter Clinic completes about 3,500 surgeries on cats and dogs each year. The program is estimated to cost about $450,000 in the current fiscal year, including approximately $40,000 in indirect cost for support services such as Finance, Human Resources and Information Services. The revenue received from fees for service will be approximately $420,000 this fiscal year. In FY09, the cost of the operation including the indirect cost and the revenue are both budgeted at $450,000. Because fees were not recovering both the direct and indirect cost of operations in this fiscal year, fees were increased earlier this month on June 1. The fees were benchmarked against low-cost providers in the community. The cost to spay a cat ranged from $65 to $75. The fee at the Spay and Neuter Clinic was increased on June 1 from $60 to $65 for this service. At the same time, the fee to neuter cats at the clinic was increased from $42 to $50. Low cost providers in the community charge $35 to $55 for this service. At this point in time, to recover the full cost of operations, fees at the clinic are at the bottom or in the middle of the fees charged for similar services by low-cost providers in the private sector. Prior to June 1, the fees were increased in April 2006, and November 2004. The other program offered at the clinic is the low-income voucher program. The program requires clients to pay $20 instead of the standard fees of $65 and $50 for the spay and neutering of cats. The remaining cost of the service is paid for with 5% of the sales of dog licenses. This 5% equals approximately $8,000 in the current fiscal year. At the present time, there is no cat licensing program in either Eugene or Lane County as a whole. Cat licensing can be a means to control the cat population, return lost cats to owners, and to help hold cat owners responsible for damage done by cats. Supporters of cat licensing programs cite the ability to control cat populations and the prevention of euthanasia of cats as major reasons to enact a program. A fee structure could be created to cover costs of such programs. Opponents of cat licensing report a reluctance to place or retain collars on cats and the inability to enforce a licensing program as primary reasons not to license cats. Z:\CMO\2008 Council Agendas\M080625\S080625A.doc