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Council advances TNR policy to align city code with state law; Humane Society to vet caretakers
Summary
Councilors introduced a trap-neuter-return ordinance to allow community caretakers to trap, sterilize, vaccinate and return feral cats; the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society said caretaker approval and monitoring would be part of the program, and a community group reported a $9,300 grant for equipment.
On Dec. 10 the Sioux Falls City Council heard a first reading for an ordinance to allow trapping, sterilizing, vaccinating and returning community cats (commonly known as TNR), aligning city code with recent state changes.
Councilor Spellerberg described the policy intent and said the state recently allowed such activity; the proposed city ordinance would add guardrails and require approval and oversight for organizations and caretakers. "When I ran for city council, one of the first groups to reach out to me was TNR," Spellerberg said as he introduced the concept and the proposed alignment with state law.
Michelle Henshall, interim executive director of the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society, told the council the city's contract with the Humane Society covers sheltering services during stray-hold periods and that costs for vaccination and sterilization after that period "will not fall onto the city but will fall onto organizations willing to do that work." She described the Humane Society's role in approving community caretakers and monitoring the program.
Representatives of Sioux Empire TNR also addressed the council. Matt Tugas said the organization had been declined certain grants pending the council decision but recently secured a $9,300 grant to buy traps, transfer cages and supplies that will be used by the Humane Society, Animal Control and the public. "So that's $9,300 spent towards bridal welfare in Sioux Falls that didn't come out of anybody's pocket," he said. (Transcript spelling varies on a small number of names.)
The council voted to set a second reading for Dec. 17. Supporters said TNR reduces shelter intake and euthanasia rates over time; one resident asked whether the Humane Society-only approval might be broadened in the future to include other qualified groups. The Humane Society representative said caretaker approval procedures and monitoring would be developed as part of implementation.
Next steps: council will consider final ordinance language on Dec. 17; if adopted, implementation would rely on the Humane Society to approve caretakers and local groups to fund TNR operations.
