Antioch City Council Votes To Ban Feeding Of Stray Cats
ANTIOCH (CBS SF) -- The Antioch city council has approved a new ordinance that outlaws feeding abandoned cats on public property.
The vote Tuesday followed a spirited hearing that included about 30 speakers, most urging the city to create a trap, neuter, and return program. Instead, the council voted 4-1 in favor of the ban on placing food on sidewalks.
"It's just a bad situation for the environment and for public health and for economic development, because if you walk along the riverwalk there, you'll see cat food and cat feces and cats, and that's not really an attractive environment," Antioch City Manager Steve Duran told KPIX 5.
The ban becomes law in 30 days, but animal advocate groups plan to continue to work with the city to set up cat feeding stations in controlled areas.
"The problem was created not by cats, but people who dump cats, and people who feed cats with no responsibility for taking care of them," Duran said.
Antioch has the only animal shelter operating in Contra Costa County.
