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Advisers discuss shifting to community-cat/TNR approach and shorter stray holds to reduce shelter crowding
Summary
Staff proposed lowering stray-hold times (e.g., 3 days for cats, 5 for dogs) and expanding legal protections for community-cat caretakers and TNR partners to reduce shelter crowding; partner agencies outlined operational steps but staff will research state law and return with draft language.
Commissioners and staff discussed a proposed shift toward community-cat (TNR) processing and shorter stray-hold periods intended to reduce shelter crowding and euthanasia. Staff cited practices in peer communities — New Albany and South Bend use three-day holds, Marion County uses 32 business hours — and recommended aligning Evansville’s policy with those norms. A Best Friends report recommended a 5-day hold for dogs and a 3-day hold for cats, a change staff said they would pursue with legal review.
A partner agency representative described how TNR processing would work in practice: “If a cat comes in and is of good body weight, has no health issues, is not fixed, or if it is fixed, it can go exactly right back out where it was.” The site partner said releasing identified community cats immediately or routing them through a TNR clinic reduces shelter occupancy and associated euthanasia.
Participants discussed capacity limits and clinic partnerships. A VHS representative told the commission, “VHS has, I think, 600 and some odd cats in our care right now,” as evidence the shelter system is under strain. Staff noted that implementing a community-cat program will require building capacity, adding veterinarians or clinic days, and coordinating participating agencies.
Legal counsel and staff flagged uncertainty about state requirements. Commissioners asked whether state law (references to the board of animal health and title 15) sets minimum hold periods; staff and legal counsel said they would research statutory constraints and return with findings before bringing final ordinance language to the commission.
Next steps: staff will gather additional data from peer communities, research state statutory requirements, convene partner agencies for operational planning, and draft ordinance language for future meetings. No formal vote was taken.
