WEST COLUMBIA, SC (WACH)-- A cat fight of sorts is going on in West Columbia about a proposal aimed at cutting down the number of feral cats in the city.
The fur was flying at city hall Tuesday evening as concerned residents told council what they think about the proposed trap, neuter and release plan.
If approved by council, feral felines picked up by animal workers would be taken to Pets Inc. to be spayed or neutered, then re-released back into the area where they came from.
A private donor has agreed to pay for the program for the first two years. No extra taxpayer dollars would be spent on it.
Jane Brundage with Pets Inc. says years of catching and killing wild cats isn’t helping cut down the population and that trap, neuter and release programs are proven to work.
“With almost 30-years of trap, neuter and return experiences, we can’t find a single failure,” said Brundage. “It’s a program that works.”
Critics of the plan say it doesn’t do enough. Some residents told council members Tuesday night that the cats will continue to bother them and potentially damage their property even though they’re neutered.
Council made no decision Tuesday evening. The public forum was a chance for residents to let city leaders know how they feel before a vote.
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