Santa Cruz Sentinel on Cat Licensing

The Santa Cruz Sentinel published my letter to the editor regarding cat licensing:

Discussing cat licensing

On June 25, the Santa Cruz Animal Services' general manager submitted a plan to the ASA board that would mandate the licensing of cats. If the measure is adopted veterinarians will be required to give their client's personal information to Animal Services each time they vaccinate a cat for rabies.

Although all attending community members who addressed the board voiced opposition to the measure, the board voted to proceed with the measure by contacting county veterinarians. They plan to discuss this issue again at their next meeting.

ASA's published agenda seemed to hide the cat licensing issue by giving it the title "Consider and recommend proposed ordinance changes to jurisdictions" which made it difficult for community members to be fully informed in advance of the meeting.

The ASA Board will continue discussion of this issue at their next meeting and if they approve it, the measure will be forwarded to the city council and county board of supervisors.