Kettering considers cat spay/neuter program after county ends contract

City leaders here are trying to figure out options for cat control after the the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center notified Kettering and other cities it would terminate the service.

The ARC is cutting cat control operations with Huber Heights, Englewood, Union, Five Rivers MetroParks, Germantown, West Carrollton, Kettering, Moraine, Vandalia, and Brookville, according to Brianna Wooten, director of communications and external affairs for Montgomery County.

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Through the end of November 2018, the Kettering Police Department trapped or otherwise obtained 156 cats — an average of 14 per month according to Kettering Police Chief Chip Protsman.

“If these numbers are consistent in 2019, the city will pay for approximately 168 cats to be spayed or neutered,” he told city officials. “At an approximate cost of $45 each, this would result in a total expenditure of $7,560.”

Protsman noted that with the ARC cancelling its contract, a new trap spay/neuter release program for cats in Kettering would be a possible alternative moving forward. Partnering with SICSA and the Humane Society could help lead to adoption for many of the cats, he added.

Cutting cat control contracts for local cities is one of the moves ARC is making as a result of suggestions put forth by an expert hired to help the agency improve its operations.

“We have ended cat control contracts to help reduce our cat intake at the Animal Resource Center,” Wooten said.”The decision will allow our jurisdictions to find better solutions and ensure better outcomes for cats in our community.”

She said several jurisdictions already have cat community control programs in place that are successful, such as Englewood, Huber Heights and West Carrollton.

County officials say more than 3,000 dogs and cats were euthanized last year, but a vast majority of them were unhealthy, untreatable and in pain, according to Michael Colbert, the Montgomery County administrator. On average, more than 100 dogs and 20 to 30 cats are housed at the ARC.

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Stacy Schweikhart, community information manager with the city of Kettering, said the city, like other municipalities, is “reviewing their ordinances and procedures to adjust to change in county operations.”

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