CARMA Cat Rescue is pleading with Moncton City Council to not forget about cats as it revises the animal control bylaw.
Dogs are mainly the focus of the revised bylaw which has already passed first reading.
Amber MacDonald with CARMA Cat Rescue believes feline abuse and neglect will continue and an overpopulation of cats will only get worse if cats are omitted.
“We do not want cats to be left out. We do not want cats to feel like they matter less than dogs. They are just as important as dogs and we need to focus on that as well.”
MacDonald said their volunteers just can’t keep up with the number of calls they get and sometimes have to say no.
She told City Council the SPCA had to euthanize 222 cats in 2021.
Shawn Crossman was the only councillor who voted nay during the first reading of the bylaw.
He would like to see “dog” changed to “domesticated animal” in the updated bylaw.
“You (CARMA) talk about the provincial law and if we’re moving away from it as a city, we need to understand why are we doing this. Where did things change and why did things change?” asked Crossman.
He believes more discussions are needed with groups like CARMA to get the ‘right’ bylaw that will satisfy everyone.
City manager Marc Landry said there will be more dialogue in the days ahead with stakeholders including PAW, formerly Greater Moncton SPCA.
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