Summit Hill is working to update its animal ordinance to deal with the problem of stray cats.

The council will be considering changes to the ordinance this month and will advertise it for adoption in the future.

Councilman David Wargo said he was part of the committee that drafted the animal control ordinance in 2004, but it recently came to the borough’s attention that there is no provision for dealing with strays.

Council members decided to update it after a resident complained in October of a neighbor feeding stray cats.

The resident said cats are all over the neighborhood and making a mess on his property.

“We included the public when we drafted the ordinance, but there was no language in there for strays,” Wargo said.

After the October meeting, Council directed the solicitor to get copies of animal ordinances from different municipalities.

The borough is patterning changes based on Palmerton’s animal control ordinance, Wargo said.

For example, they are looking at people who put out food for stay cats. That can also attract critters such as skunks, raccoons and rats, Wargo said.

Under consideration is prohibiting people from creating conditions that are attractive to:

• Wild animals, including, but not limited to, deer, bears, coyotes, groundhogs, opossums, skunks, rats, rodents, raccoons, vermin, turkeys, ducks, geese, swans, heron, egrets and pigeons.

• Stray and/or feral animals commonly kept as domestic pets, including, but not limited to, stray and/or feral dogs and cats.

• Nuisance insects.

• Other similar animals.

Residents will be prohibited from:

• Conduct creating conditions attractive to nuisance animals includes, but is not limited to:

• Feeding, baiting, or in any manner providing access to food to any nuisance animal on lands either publicly or privately owned;

• Leaving, spreading or storing any refuse, garbage, food product, pet food, forage product or supplement, salt licks, seed or birdseed, fruit, corn or grain in a manner that would be accessible to any nuisance animal;

• Failing to take remedial action to avoid contact or conflict with nuisance animals, which may include the securing or removing of outdoor trash, cooking grills, pet food, bird feeders or any other similar food source or attractant, after being advised by the borough to undertake such remedial action; or

• After an initial contact or conflict with a nuisance animal, continuing to provide, or otherwise failing to secure or remove, any likely food sources or attractants, including, but not limited to, outdoor trash, grills, pet food or bird feeders.

“What we’re doing is providing a remedy for neighbors,” Wargo said.

Wargo said one the changes are adopted, fines would be levied for violators.

The borough hasn’t had an animal control officer for a number of years and is looking for someone to fill the position to enforce the ordinance. Wargo explained that the last enforcement was conducted by a police officer who has resigned from the force.

There has not been money budgeted specifically for an animal officer and Wargo said it is not planned in the 2022 budget. The borough is open if someone would like to volunteer, Wargo said.

People have questioned the part of the current ordinance that requires licenses for cats. Wargo said that is in effect so if a cat is picked up it can be returned to its owner instead of being taken to a shelter.

He also said if act destroys property, the owner would be held responsible.

Ron Gower contributed to this report.