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Residents urge TNR program, animal advisory board and 'no-kill' steps during council public comment
Summary
Multiple residents told the council they want the city to create sheltering and Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) programs, convene an animal advisory board with a veterinarian member and adopt "no-kill" practices to cut stray-cat intake and euthanasia at the municipal shelter.
Several residents used the March 25 public-comment period to press the City of Orange for expanded animal services, including shelter capacity for cats, a Trap-Neuter-Release program (TNR) and the formation or activation of an animal advisory board with veterinary representation.
"I have been a Orange citizen all my life, and I think we need a place for kittens and cats," Paulette Thomas said, giving her address and urging the council to add animal-shelter services to the city budget. She recommended a TNR approach to reduce stray-cat populations: "If we can catch them and, neuter them and release them, it's called TNR... that would cut way down, the stray cats in the city."
Advocates at the meeting also framed animal care as part of local economic development and public-health planning. "If you can also claim that Orange is a no-kill city, it's a draw for employees, it's a draw for businesses," said Kelly Kayes, who reviewed steps she has promoted since the prior year and said state law provides for an animal advisory board that should include a veterinarian. Kayes said rescues, an engaged animal-control officer and veterinarian cooperation are necessary to achieve a 90 percent live-release rate commonly used by no-kill advocates.
Kayes described practical steps for the council to consider: ordinances enabling TNR, an active animal advisory board, and municipal attention to shelter intake and veterinary partnerships so rescues will pull animals. She said she brought video material and previous presentations from neighboring cities to illustrate successful TNR approaches.
City officials did not take formal action during the March 25 meeting. Speakers asked that the council and city manager review budgetary options and ordinances needed to begin TNR and to support rescue partnerships. Council members did not promise specific next steps during the public-comment period; the statements were recorded and will be forwarded to the appropriate city department under the Texas Open Meetings Act notice read at the start of the session.
Residents who pressed the council emphasized that any city program would require coordination among animal control, veterinarians, rescues and volunteers to be effective.
No specific ordinance, funding amount or implementation timetable was presented to the council at this meeting.
