Lee County adopts 24-hour hold for unidentified cats after public outcry over rapid euthanasia

Lee County officials said on June 3 that staff have begun holding unidentified stray cats for 24 hours and will file an agenda item to amend Lee County Ordinance 14-22 to make the change permanent.

The move follows a months-long public campaign after a resident said her cat, Kevin, was euthanized within two hours of arriving at Lee County Domestic Animal Services. At the meeting, the county's animal services presenter said the county's ordinance currently sets a zero-day hold for unidentifed small animals and that staff have already instituted a one-day hold as a procedural change.

"Lee County ordinance 14 dash 22 establishes as a 0 day holding period for small animals, and that includes cats that lack any form of identification, including microchips or licenses," the presenter told the board during the June 3…