Hamilton city council narrowly rejects cat licensing

It costs Hamilton taxpayers $1 million a year to deal with lost, stray and feral cats.

It costs Hamilton taxpayers $1M a year to deal with lost, stray and feral cats

Samantha Craggs CBC News Posted: Nov 23, 2016 8:58 PM EST | Last Updated: November 24, 2016

The vote by Hamilton city council for implementing a cat-licensing program was 8-8. (Shutterstock)

It was close, but Hamilton city council has narrowly voted not to license cats a move one councillor says would have fixed a problem that's "an embarrassment and a disgrace."

What we have today isthe most brazen, blatant, rabid attack on the taxpayer that I've ever seen in all my time on council.- Coun. Sam Merulla

Councillors voted 8-8 Wednesday not to require cat owners to license their animals. Under council rules, a tie vote fails.

That means cat owners won't have to pay $20 to license ananimal that has been spayed or neutered, and $45 for one that hasn't been fixed. The city also won't hire a full-time employee at $85,000 per year to manage the program.

So the city hasn't "righted a wrong" by trying to fix Hamilton's stray and feral cat problem, said Coun. Sam Merulla of Ward 4.

He moved licensing Wednesday after council's planning committee received a report on it last week.

People see cats as disposable, he said, but licensing would change that. Visit other countries, he said, and you can tell which ones license animals.

The cat licensing debate, one councillor says, is 'Groundhog Day all over again.' (Shutterstock)

"We have a failing system," Merulla said. "The system simply is broken."

"This predominantly financially, socially is a disgrace and embarrassment."

(This is) Groundhog Day all over again.- Coun. Chad Collins

Hamilton city council has debated this topic three times in 15 years.

The arguments this time were varied. Those in favour saw it as a long-term money saver. Dealing with feral and stray cats costs the city about $1 million per year, saidlicensing director KenLeendertse.

Licensing would help curb that, he said.

Hamilton city councillors say some people treat cats as disposable, but that would stop if cats were licensed. (Anjuli Patil/CBC)

Coun. Chad Collins of Ward 5, however, doubted it would have the anticipated budget impact.

The debate "is Groundhog Day all over again," he said.

"We have made a decision [on cat licensing]and the decision is no. I know some people around the table don't agree with it, but successive councils have made a decision."

Merulla also tried a motion to scrap dog licensing, which failed. Dog owners and taxpayers in general, he said, are shouldering the cost of the cat issue.

"What we have todayis the most brazen, blatant, rabid attack on the taxpayer that I've ever seen in all my time on council," he said.

Who voted to license cats