Lewes working to control feral cat population
Lewes Mayor Ted Becker says two large feral cat colonies are under control thanks to help from Brandywine SPCA.
All told, 16 feral cats have been trapped, neutered and relocated, including 10 from Lewes Beach near the Dairy Queen and six others from McFee Street.
The city’s efforts to control the population came under fire earlier this year when the city installed signs informing residents the feral cat population would be controlled.
“There was great concern that our ordinance allows us to euthanize cats,” Becker said. “We tried to reassure everyone at the outset that we would not.”
None of the 16 cats trapped was euthanized, he said. All were relocated to other states for adoption, he said.
In a letter to council, Brandywine SPCA Director Walt Fenstermacher said the city’s residents were instrumental in the success of the program. He said many residents helped with the trapping.
Feral cats are a problem in other areas of Lewes, Becker said, and the city will continue to trap, neuter and relocate as many as possible.
Fenstermacher offered to work with city officials to improve its ordinance regarding the treatment of feral cats. Becker admitted the city’s ordinance is no longer in line with state regulations and should be updated.
Becker, Councilman Rob Morgan and City Manager Ann Marie Townshend will soon meet with the SPCA to develop revisions to the ordinance.
Nick Roth is the news editor. He has been with the Cape Gazette since 2012, previously covering town beats in Milton and Lewes. In addition to serving on the editorial board and handling page layout, Nick is responsible for the weekly Delaware History in Photographs feature and enjoys writing stories about the Cape Region’s history. Prior to the Cape Gazette, Nick worked for the Delmarva Media Group, including the Delaware Wave, Delaware Coast Press and Salisbury Daily Times. He also contributed to The News Journal. Originally from Boyertown, Pa., Nick attended Shippensburg University in central Pennsylvania, graduating in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He’s won several MDDC awards during his career for both writing and photography. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, going to the beach with his family and cheering for Philadelphia sports teams.
