Perry council adopts zoning amendment allowing community cat TNR program

The Perry City Council on Nov. 6 adopted a zoning amendment to permit Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs for community cats in residential and agricultural districts.

The ordinance, passed by roll call vote, defines “community cat” as a free-roaming cat without visible identification or a microchip and allows caretakers to participate in TNR with conditions intended to protect animal welfare and limit wildlife attraction. Councilmember Kristin Babel, Mayor Pro-Tem Larry Lambert and Councilmember Mike Connell voted in favor; Councilmember Bob Porter voted no; Councilmember Mindy Galbavi voted in favor. The minutes record the vote as Ayes: 4, Nayes: 1, and the motion passed.

The amendment adds requirements and recommendations for community cat care: provision of food and shelter designed not to attract wildlife, reasonable efforts to spay/neuter through TNR assistance, and recovery/holding practices during postoperative care. The ordinance text also recommends certification through Michigan Humane Society, All About Animals Rescue, or an equivalent training program for those participating in TNR, and references Michigan House Bill No. 4596 to clarify that release of feral cats is exempt from animal-abandonment charges under that state measure.

Council minutes summarize the new provisions, including an example definition: a “community cat” includes a cat that has been ear-tipped to indicate sterilization and vaccination. The ordinance also clarifies that fostering of indoor pets in partnership with a rescue organization is permitted and that feeding or care of cats without ownership or certified “partnership-fostering” must adhere to the community cat/TNR requirements.

The measure moves Perry’s zoning language toward formal recognition of community-cat programs and provides the council and residents with recommended training and procedural steps for TNR participation. The council’s action follows prior discussion of animal-related ordinance changes during the meeting. The ordinance text and roll call vote are recorded in the meeting minutes; the city clerk will carry the adopted language into the municipal code as reflected in the minutes.

The immediate next procedural step recorded in the minutes is clerical: the adoption was recorded in the meeting minutes. If implementation requires department-level procedures (e.g., animal control guidance or public outreach), the minutes do not specify those steps.