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Residents urge ordinance on feral‑cat nuisance; city weighs enforcement limits and TNR options
Summary
Several residents urged New Bern aldermen to adopt an enforceable ordinance after prolonged problems with feral cats (feeding, property damage, odor); city staff said animal‑control capacity and shelter space are limited and asked for time to research options including TNR agreements and zoning‑based exemptions.
Multiple residents from Monroe Drive and Southgate pressed the New Bern Board of Aldermen on July 14 to adopt a stronger ordinance addressing feral‑cat feeding and its impacts on neighboring properties.
Debbie Seymour told the board that neighbor feeding has led to roaming cats, feces and urine on yards, vehicle damage and offensive odors that make it difficult to enjoy outdoor spaces. Cynthia Blake said the neighbor at 2914 Monroe Drive feeds stray cats twice daily, leaving bowls of food that attract growing numbers, and asked the board to define ownership by feeding, require identification tags, limit numbers of cats per household and impose fines for violations.
Speakers said they were not opposing TNR (trap‑neuter‑return) programs in principle but asked the city to distinguish credible, vet‑linked TNR operations from persistent feeders that create neighborhood nuisances. Joyce Fisher and other neighbors recounted ongoing problems and asked staff to act.
The police chief and animal‑control staff said enforcement is complaint‑driven and confirmed the code allows citations for custodians who create a nuisance. The chief cautioned that the city’s animal‑care capacity is limited (staff and shelter space), that some jurisdictions run privately funded or county TNR programs, and that any ordinance should consider equal‑protection and implementation mechanisms. The chief said capturing animals is constrained when shelters are full and that municipal TNR programs are rare without dedicated funding and staffing.
Aldermen asked staff to explore options including zoning‑based exemptions for nonresidential feeding sites, partnering with county programs, and drafting ordinance language that exempts vetted TNR groups while enabling enforcement against non‑custodian feeders. Staff said they will compile state and peer‑city approaches and return with recommendations, likely in a work session.
Residents asked for near‑term enforcement on documented nuisance feeders; the chief said he would pursue complaints as capacity allows and that the code provides tools to cite nonresponsible custodians.
