Cat control program pays off for Baker City police
A key question, though, is whether it will be successful in Ontario

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After some research on the Internet, Lohner came across a feral cat organization in Oregon that put him on the path to establishing a trap, neuter, release program in Baker City.

The first big hurdle, however, was finding funding and people to take the program on, which is difficult for any city government to do on its own.

Baker City was fortunate enough to find somebody with an organization willing to take the lead on the program. Now, when the police department receives a complaint about animals, the community service/animal control officer tells the person about the trap, neuter and release program and about setting up a feeding schedule and feeding place for the cats so the animals can be trapped and taken to a local vet.

“I think the program has been a success in that it’s a proactive approach to trying to address the problem,” Lohner said.

Lohner warns the program takes ongoing commitment and funding for it to work.

“This isn’t a one-shot deal that’s going to fix (the problem),” he said.

While the city put in funds for the program, the woman who has taken the lead on the program has had to constantly search for funding through grants and other means.

“Continuing with the program is huge because you’re never going to get them all,” Lohner said of all feral cats. “So you have to stay after this or you’ve lost all the money that you’ve put in.”

Baker City Community Service Officer Shannon Regan, who handles the city’s animal complaints as well, said she has “absolutely” found the trap, neuter, release program to be beneficial.

“It’s been a tremendous program for us,” she said, adding it’s probably the second highest service the community service arm of the police department addresses.

Regan said the number of complaints she deals with has decreased significantly since the program was implemented, and the calls about litters of kittens, screeching mating calls and fighting have decreased. It has also made her job easier, she said.

“Instead of saying, ‘I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do for you,’ I have a resource. I have a solution,” Regan said, adding, in addition to the TNR program, she can advise property owners on natural repellents that detract cats and other sources of information.

“It’s definitely made my job easier,” she said.

Another benefit of the program is, in addition to clipping the ears of the feral cats who have benefited from TNR, the animals are also vaccinated for rabies.

Ontario developer Riley Hill, however, is not convinced a neutering program would be effective and has had plenty of problems with feral cats around his apartments in town. He said many of the apartments have sandboxes near them for children to play in, but the cats in the neighborhood come and use them for litterboxes.

“Neutering them doesn’t do me any good,” he said. “They need to be disposed of, and to me, that’s my take on it.”

It’s a constant problem for Hill, and he doesn’t know of any repellents, natural or otherwise, that ward off cats, and he said he’s cautious about applying chemicals or other substances where children are eating and playing.

“I just wish we were allowed to catch them and dispose of them or the city would do it or sanction it or whatever,” Hill said.

Jessica Keller is the News Editor of the Daily Argus Observer. She can be contacted at JessicaK@argusobserver.com