Parish ordinance bans feeding strays in public areas

FRANKLIN — The St. Mary Parish Council has weighed in on the cat issue. More legislative action may be coming.
The council on March 11 followed the lead of the Berwick and Morgan City councils, enacting an ordinance that prohibits setting out food for stray animals on public property in the unincorporated parish.
“High populations of stray dogs and cats pose a hazard to human health and safety as such animals provide a fruitful breeding ground for infectious disease, including but not limited to rabies and distemper, and may otherwise bite or attack humans and domestic animals,” the ordinance said.
“Stray dogs and cats also carry fleas and ticks. In addition, food provided for stray animals is often attractive to wild animals such as raccoons and rodents and may create nuisance conditions such as rat harborage or other wild animal infestation.”
The ordinance establishes fines of $50 for a first offense, $100 for a second and $200 for a third and subsequent violations.
The parish ordinance, introduced by Councilman Dean Adams of Morgan City, specifically targets stray dogs and cats. But the discussion has been all about cats.
When Berwick passed its ordinance in 2024, the subject was about a large population of stray cats.
Residents and officials talked about fleas from stray cats infesting elementary school classrooms, ruined flower beds, unpleasant odors in vehicles that strays got into, and even an attack on a local woman.
Some objected to the ordinance on humanitarian grounds.
There was support for “catch and release” programs in which strays are captured, fed and neutered.
In any case, the Berwick ordinance passed.
Different questions have been raised about the parish ordinance.
Speaking at the March 11 Parish Council meeting, Janet Aucoin of Amelia said the parish ordinance lacks clear information about how people can lodge complaints and how the rules will be enforced.
There were also questions from Councilman Mark Duhon of Amelia about a section of the original ordinance giving an exemption for veterinary clinics and animal welfare organizations.
Aucoin said there is concern that people could evade the feeding prohibition by joining or claiming to join an animal welfare group.
The exemption was removed from the ordinance before passage.
Berwick Mayor Duval Arthur told the council that he believes Berwick has a good ordinance.
He doesn’t believe catch and release has reduced the number of strays.
“We’ve got all these people out there working, trying to neuter them and do this and do that,” Arthur said. “Either someone doesn’t know how to neuter cats or it doesn’t work.”
Berwick spoke in favor of a single ordinance setting the rules in the unincorporated parish and municipalities.
“This is a parishwide problem,” Arthur said. “I’d like to see all of the municipalities and parish government get together on this and have one ordinance. It would just make more sense.”
Before the vote on the parish ordinance, Councilman Rodney Olander of Franklin asked why the council would pass this version if there are plans to work on one single ordinance for local government entities.
“To try to stop some of the stuff that’s happening now,” Adams replied.
The ordinance was enacted with an 8-2 vote. Voting yes were Adams, Jimmy Davis of Morgan City, Dr. Kristi Prejeant Rink of Centerville, Gwendolyn Hidalgo of Bayou Vista, Patrick Hebert of Berwick, David Hill of Bayou Vista, J Ina of Franklin and the Rev. Craig Mathews of Jeanerette.
Voting no were Duhon and Olander. The 11th member, Les Rulf of Patterson, was absent.