Fayette Humane volunteer asks council to renew and simplify TNVR agreement covering Peachtree City property

A volunteer leader of the Fayette Humane Society’s trap-neuter-vaccinate-return (TNVR) program asked the Peachtree City Council on Feb. 25 to renew and simplify the organization’s contract so it can operate on city-owned property across Peachtree City.

Marsha Hendershot, introduced as the TNVR program director, described the program’s process: with written permission from property owners, volunteers trap community cats, bring them to low-cost clinics for spay/neuter and vaccinations, and return them with an ear tip to indicate sterilization. She said the program is administered by Fayette County Animal Control and noted that, historically, the practice conflicted with parts of Fayette County ordinance — for example, the county’s leash/containment requirement for cats and abandonment rules — but that ordinances were amended so TNVR is now legal provided volunteers secure written property-owner permission.

Hendershot said the city’s prior service agreement, which had named specific addresses, expired in December and should be amended to cover “city-owned properties” rather than individual parcels. She also asked staff to simplify the agreement’s renewal language so that it automatically renews in one-year terms beginning Jan. 1 unless either party gives 60 days’ written notice. City staff told council the draft in the meeting packet already updated the contract to “city-owned properties” and changed the term language to one-year automatic renewals beginning Jan. 1.

Hendershot provided countywide program statistics: she said the Humane Society trapped 862 cats countywide last year and that 32 cats were trapped in Peachtree City during the prior year; of those, she said four had been placed for adoption. She described the Humane Society’s mix of funding sources — grants, fundraising events and donations — and said volunteers also work with animal control to prioritize flexible outcomes such as barn-cat placement and foster adoption for friendly animals.

Council members asked procedural and funding questions. Staff advised that service agreements must typically terminate within the year they are entered and that automatic one-year renewals from Jan. 1 are common practice to comply with state law. No formal vote was recorded at the meeting; staff indicated they would return with the amended contract for council consideration.