Commission endorses community‑cat and stray‑hold ordinance updates for city council review

Commission members voted unanimously to recommend proposed ordinance updates on community cats and changes to stray‑hold and first‑time reclaim rules to the Evansville City Council.

Missy, identified as a second‑ward city council member and the council liaison to the animal control board, told the commission the language it had unanimously voted on previously would be presented to the council the following Monday evening for a council vote. The revisions mentioned in the meeting packet include a proposed change to the stray‑hold period and a change affecting first‑time reclaiming procedures for owners.

Commissioners reviewed a community‑cats ordinance recommendation that had been drafted earlier (by the prior staff member) and, after brief discussion and confirmation that members had reviewed the language, moved to forward the recommendation to city council. The commission also discussed next steps and the timeline for additional items, saying they hoped to bring several drafted changes forward by August for council consideration.

Separately, commissioners agreed to work on ordinance language that would allow animal control officers to approve routine poultry licenses administratively; commissioners asked staff to circulate drafted language by email and return the language for a vote at a subsequent meeting.

Missy encouraged commissioners to attend council’s meeting where the ordinances would be introduced and thanked the commission for their work on the updates.