CC Minutes - 07/14/03 Mtg - Laserfiche WebLink

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Society was only allowed to take in cats that had been owned and that, due to the elimination of funding for the cattery at the LCARA facility, there was nowhere to take stray and abandoned cats. She commented that this had created a dilemma for her, as citizens expected her to be a resource for stray animals. She requested the funding to be restored to the cattery. Linda Overstake, PO Box 452, Noti, said that she had lived in Eugene her whole life and had recently observed an increase in feral cats in the downtown area. She noted that the number of animals abandoned in the area where she currently resided had dramatically increased as well. She requested those present in support of the cattery to stand again, noting that more people had arrived. The majority of the audience rose to their feet in indication of their support. Leanne Cook, PO Box 633, Pleasant Hill, spoke as a representative of the Ninth Life Rescue for Ferals. She stressed that without animal regulation, all of the work that the volunteer agencies perform would be in vain and that there would be a negative impact on the community due to the increase in the population of feral cats and the spread of disease. She related that her organization had received no donations for six months. She said that currently there was nowhere for the cats brought to her attention to be placed. She stated that the cattery had been supported for 23 years and that the trap and release program in which she participated provided tremendous benefit to the community. Diana Robertson, 871 River Road, Executive Director of Shelter Animal Resource Alliance, explained that she was representing the hundreds of people who supported the work of the alliance through donations and through adoption of the animals. She said that the closure of the LCARA cat shelter had caused a huge impact to the local small agencies, who were already spread too thin. She noted that the council had wanted to be fiscally responsible and stay within a budget, but opined that it was poor budgeting not to accommodate such a vital service to the community. She noted that her agency would be happy to refer the many people calling with unwanted cats to City Hall. She added that she was appreciative that the City did choose to restore funding for an animal control officer. Council President Pap~ noted that the public forum segment of the regular meeting of the Eugene City Council had reached the half-hour mark. Councilor Taylor moved, seconded by Councilor Solomon, to extend the Public Forum by nine minutes to accommodate three more speakers. Roll call vote; the motion passed unanimously, 7:0. Virginia Jurasevich, 416 East 32nd Avenue, shared a story of rescuing an injured cat on the previous evening. She said that there had been nowhere to turn with the animal. She urged the council to support the cattery, stating that it made the community more livable. She commented that she had never attended a council meeting in thirty years of residence in Eugene, but this issue had brought her forward. MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 14, 2003 Page 4 Regular Meeting