A letter from the state’s Department of Health and Human Services to a concerned Jersey City citizen, dated April 9, states that the state found that Jersey City had a policy of sometimes dumping stray cats they picked up, and that the city has now been informed that this is not proper protocol.
“It was discovered that Jersey City has a policy in which stray cats are considered to be free-roaming, and therefore are not routinely picked up,” states the letter. “Even when a stray cat is picked up (if it has entered a neighbor’s house), it is not always impounded, but may be released.”
The letter states that Jersey City officials were told that this was not correct policy, and have assured the state that this will not happen again. The state Office of Animal Welfare will also be meeting with local officials.
The policy came to light recently after a resident lost her cat and was allegedly told by a Jersey City employee that it had been captured in a neighbor’s house and dumped in a nearby park. Two city employees were reprimanded because of the incident, but the letter from the state says that the city’s animal control officers should not lose their certification, as they were merely following a policy the city had instituted (even if against state policy).
To see past articles on this controversy, use our article archives at right.