Pomona Road Feral Cat Problem in Dickson Sparks Citywide Animal Control Review

Pomona Road resident raises concerns about feral cats, sanitation and staffing as council asks police chief for report

Concerns over stray and feral cats in the Pomona Road area are prompting the City of Dickson to take a closer look at how its animal control operation is staffed, equipped and managed.

During the Oct. 5 Dickson City Council meeting, resident Marie Kathy told council members that a growing population of stray and feral cats has created years of problems in her neighborhood, including sanitation concerns, property damage and what she described as a lack of an effective way to control the population.

Kathy said the issue has directly affected her property.

She described cat feces getting onto her lawn mower, flower beds being dug up, and cats sheltering beneath sheds, vehicles, decks, air-conditioning units and wood piles.

She told the council the issue had moved beyond being a simple inconvenience.

“This is simply an inconvenience anymore. It has become a recurring sanitation and property problem,” Kathy told the council.

Is One Animal Control Officer Enough?

Kathy said she had already spoken with animal control about the situation and emphasized that she was not criticizing the city’s animal control officer.

Instead, she questioned whether the city has enough resources to handle the range of calls and responsibilities assigned to animal control.

She told council members that the city currently has one full-time animal control officer operating under the Dickson Police Department.

That officer can be responsible for animal cruelty and neglect complaints, animal bites, dangerous animals, injured animals, dogs running at large and stray animals.

Kathy asked whether one officer, along with the city’s current equipment and facilities, is enough to realistically address the city’s needs.

She argued that the city should address the issue before it grows more difficult and expensive to manage.

Resident Calls for More Traps and Clearer Enforcement

One of Kathy’s specific concerns involved humane traps.

She said trapping, spaying or neutering, and either returning or rehoming animals can be part of a humane approach to controlling feral cat populations, but only if enough equipment and personnel are available.

If traps are lost, damaged, loaned out or not returned, she said residents trying to help have fewer options.

Kathy asked the city to review how many traps it currently has, how many it needs and whether more should be purchased.

She also suggested the city explore temporary holding or shelter options for animals that cannot immediately be placed.

Her concerns also extended to enforcement.

Kathy asked what happens when a resident allows a large population of animals to remain on a property year after year, what city ordinances apply and which department is responsible for enforcement.

She said residents and animal control officers need a clearer process to follow when those situations continue.

Six Requests to the City

Kathy asked the council to consider several changes to the city’s animal control operation.

Among them were evaluating whether one full-time officer is sufficient, determining whether additional personnel are needed, purchasing more humane traps, creating a system for tracking borrowed equipment and reviewing the city’s ordinances dealing with large stray or feral animal populations.

She also asked officials to explore temporary holding options, spay and neuter assistance, adoption or relocation programs, and whether the current animal control budget matches the demand for services.

Kathy said animal control should be viewed as more than an issue involving animals alone.

She tied the issue to sanitation, property, public safety, responsible pet ownership and neighborhood quality of life.

Council Orders Review

Mayor Don Weiss did not attempt to answer all of the questions during the meeting.

Instead, he asked the police chief to prepare a report for the City Council at its next Finance and Management Committee meeting.

Weiss said council members needed a better understanding of how animal control currently operates, including its policies and procedures and how the city works with the Humane Society.

City officials said animals picked up by the city are taken to the Humane Society under an existing agreement, although officials acknowledged the facility is frequently full.

The mayor also noted that the city had recently experienced staffing issues in animal control because of health problems involving an officer, although that position had recently been filled by another individual.

The police chief is expected to return with the report at the Oct. 19 Finance and Management Committee meeting, which begins at 6 p.m.

The report is expected to give council members a closer look at animal control staffing, policies, procedures, equipment and coordination with the Humane Society.

A Broader Neighborhood Concern

Kathy also told council members that her concerns went beyond cats.

She pointed to what she described as other property-maintenance issues in the area, including excessive vehicles, outdoor vehicle repairs, deteriorating fences and debris.

Her broader concern, she said, is that relatively small problems can grow over time when they are allowed to continue.

Kathy said she wants the Pomona Road community to remain a safe and desirable place to live and does not want neighborhood conditions to decline because persistent problems are left unresolved.

For now, the city has not announced any changes to animal control staffing, funding or enforcement.

But the issue is no longer simply a neighborhood complaint.

With the police chief now directed to report back to the council, the Oct. 19 Finance and Management Committee meeting could provide the first clear look at whether Dickson officials believe the city’s current animal control system has enough people, equipment and resources to meet the community’s needs.