HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-27-19 Public Comment - P. Riley - Cat Trapping (2 of 3)From:Terry Cunningham
To:Agenda
Subject:FW: Civil Compliant 328711
Date:Saturday, July 27, 2019 7:56:28 AM
Ms. Riley sent this as an FYI.
Terry Cunningham - City Commissioner
City of Bozeman | 121 North Rouse Avenue | P.O. Box 1230 | Bozeman, MT 59771
P: 406.595-3295 | E: Tcunningham@bozeman.net | W: www.bozeman.net
From: Porsche Riley [porsche.ondi@gmail.com]Sent: Friday, July 26, 2019 10:51 PMTo: Terry CunninghamSubject: Fwd: Civil Compliant 328711
Just FYI
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From: Porsche Riley <porsche.ondi@gmail.com>Date: Fri, Jul 26, 2019 at 5:08 PM
Subject: Civil Compliant 328711To: Timothy Wenthe <TWenthe@bozeman.net>
Hi Tim.I have the photos of the following:
Payment, stamped envelope, and completed form request for an animal license Copy of Wrangle's rabies certificate.
In addition I have looked through the City of Bozeman Animal Control website and the
ordinances that refer to having a cat unrestrained. I see that there is a leash law for catshowever there is nothing in the entire ordinance that states any animal can be baited onto
private property, then trapped and held by a resident. As an Animal Control Officer you and other Peace Officers depending on circumstances are
the only people allowed to enforce the Animal Ordinances. For many reasons this is vital. Thesafety of the animal trapped and the ability to confirm the circumstances in which the animal
was trapped. In the end as it turns out I have a neighbor who has been doing this for years, after having a
discussion with the animal shelter, they know her. After spreading the word on social mediaabout my experiences the entire neighborhood has had some interaction with her based on
their dogs or cats in a negative way. What she is doing is catching animals for you to comeand pick up and telling you that they were in her yard. Honestly you have no evidence that she
did not take my cat from my yard and stick him in that cage, you have no idea how long he satin that cage without water and food, you have no idea the temperatures that he may have
endured on her southern facing porch. You can tell me it was not very long (as you did when Iasked) but you only know the time between when she called you and when you picked up my
cat. Our community can also not control what she does with that animal once it is trapped, sheis in control of my animal at that time, not a trusted Peace Officer of the City. We do not have
a way to determine if she always calls Animal Control either, what if her baited trap is outwhile she is on vacation? These are very important concerns that need to be discussed.
With all of this additional information and looking through the actual ordinances, I have
contacted the City Commissioner to discuss the concerns I have with Animal Control allowingresidents to bait and trap domestic animals, I have contacted my HOA about the regulations
that we have set in our neighborhood to regulate this and I will appear in court to discuss thisprocedure with the judge next week as requested on my Notice of Infraction.
Please let me know if you need anything else and thank you for your time.
Porsche Riley
https://library.municode.com/mt/bozeman/codes/code_of_ordinances?
nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH8AN_ART1INGE