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Hatfield council votes to advertise proposed ordinance restricting feeding, requiring permits for feral/outdoor cats
Summary
Council voted to advertise Ordinance No. 562—amending borough animal chapter to require permits for caretakers of feral/outdoor cats, sterilization, immunization and identification, and escalating fines—setting a public hearing for Aug. 19, 2026 at 7 p.m.
Council members moved and seconded to advertise Ordinance No. 562, which would amend the borough code to regulate the keeping and feeding of feral and outdoor cats and set a public hearing for Aug. 19, 2026 at 7 p.m.
According to the solicitor's description, the ordinance would require a permit for someone who maintains feral cats, require that cats be sterilized, immunized (including rabies), and identified, and prohibit indiscriminate feeding that creates a nuisance on neighboring properties. The solicitor outlined an escalating fine schedule intended to encourage compliance: $50 for a first offense, $100 for a second and $200 for a third, with the borough's code office handling most enforcement short of referral to district justice in persistent cases.
The motion to advertise was recorded as moved by Council member Weiss and seconded by Council member Houck; members approved the motion by voice vote, with at least one recorded opposition noted during the meeting. The advertisement initiates the public-notice process and schedules a public hearing; final adoption would require further action after the hearing.
