Del. Bobby Orrock-sponsored legislation would establish a statewide model plan for reducing and controlling the feral cat population.
by Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
One of the quirkier sounding bills introduced in the General Assembly so far this session comes from Del. Bobby Orrock, whose 66th House District includes eastern Spotsylvania County and part of Caroline County.
Orrock introduced HB 221, “Free-Roaming Cat Management Plan; regulations” on Jan. 4. Though the name of this bill conjures a mental image of “herding cats” and all the chaos that implies, it is an attempt to enable localities to address an issue that poses “significant threats to wildlife” and “numerous risks to public health” and the cats themselves, according to a January 2023 stakeholder report given to the House of Delegates’ committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources.
The bill would direct the state Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services to establish a model management plan for reducing the population of free-roaming cats and preventing the abandonment of cats in order to reduce the “negative impacts of free-roaming cats on public health, wildlife, and the cat population.”
Localities would be able to adopt the plan, which would be created with input from public and private animal shelters, animal control officers, wildlife conservation rehabilitation experts and public health officials by July 31, 2025.
The General Assembly in 2021 convened a free-roaming cat stakeholder workgroup which spent 18 months preparing a report on the impact of free-roaming cats on wildlife and public health.
The workgroup included representatives from the Virginia Alliance for Animal Shelters, the Virginia Animal Control Association, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the Audobon Society of Northern Virginia, the Wildlife Center of Virginia, Bristol Humane Society/Margaret B. Mitchell Spay and Neuter Clinic, and the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.
According to the report, there are 2.1 million free-roaming cats in Virginia, of which 1.2 million are feral or unowned.
Free-roaming outdoor cats are responsible for killing an estimated 2.4 billion birds and 12.3 billion small mammals every year in the United States. In Virginia, they are known to attack 21 mammal species and 62 bird species and are a leading cause of intakes at the Wildlife Center of Virginia. Between 71 and 81% of these intakes subsequently die, the report states.
Outdoor cat populations introduce parasites and diseases in other species, including humans. They are more likely than dogs to carry rabies and are the main host to the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, which is the second leading cause of death from foodborne illness.
And cats that free-roam outdoors have a reduced quality of life and a drastically reduced lifespan—five years compared to 12-14 years for a house cat.
A common practice for controlling feral cat populations is Trap, Neuter and Return, which can help to reduce the number of free-roaming cats, but not their impact on wildlife. The report recommends the removal of unowned free-roaming cats from the landscape as the quickest way to reduce their impact and notes that often, they can be successfully rehomed, especially if they are still kittens.
But there must be a statewide standard, the report emphasizes, which is where Orrock’s bill comes in.
“Comprehensive cat management plans, enacted by localities, would facilitate the management and reduction of populations of free-roaming cats,” the report states. “A suite of minimum standards and best practices would ensure the efficacy of such plans.”
There should also be a strong messaging campaign to cat owners about the importance of spaying and neutering their pets and keeping them indoors, as well as efforts to help owners find solutions to common causes for abandonment.
Orrock’s bill is currently awaiting committee referral in the House of Delegates, which convened for the 2024 session on Wednesday.
Local Obituaries
To view local obituaries or to send a note to family and loved ones, please visit our website at the link that follows.
Support Award-winning, Locally Focused Journalism
In less than a year, FXBG Advance has become the news leader in Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, and Stafford through its innovative mix of:
Twice-daily newsletter – At 6 AM and 5 PM every Monday through Friday, the Advance brings the most important news directly to your inbox.
Education Reporting – Adele Uphaus has won multiple awards for her coverage of education issues locally and across the state. Now, she brings her experience, insights, and expertise to the Advance, providing our citizens some of the finest education writing and reporting in the commonwealth.
Political Reporting – From council meetings to campaigns, and fundraising to finance, the Advance is returning the Fourth Estate to its rightful place as a government watch dog.
Breaking News – From court cases to high-profile government moves, the Advance is the first to inform residents.
Investigative Journalism – Last year, the Advance broke major stories around improperly filed election documents, misleading sample ballots, disenfranchising Spotsylvania Count School parents, and book bans.
Election Coverage – The Advance offered the most complete coverage of the 2023 election, with in-depth candidate profiles, daily tracking of events, leading debates, and pre-dawn to post-midnight Election Day coverage. And 2024 brings even greater coverage.
Spotlights – From local businesses to nonprofit organizations and regional leaders, the Advance brings the people who make things happen to your attention.
Multi-partisan Commentary – Martin Davis is a 20-plus-year journalist recognized for superior commentary and political writing; Shaun Kenney has his hands on the pulse of political leaders across the Commonwealth. Together, they bring an unparalleled level of analysis and insight into the issues that drive debate in our region.
Political Cartoons – Clay Jones is a nationally recognized talent who draws weekly for CNN. He has returned to Fredericksburg to level his critical eye and razor-sharp drawing at the topics which make us both laugh, and look closer at ourselves.
New Dominion Podcast – Each week, Martin Davis and Shaun Kenney interview guests from across the region and the state. Growing to over 1,000 listeners in just six months, NDP has become a leading force in political, cultural, and social discussion.
We thank each and every one of you who have made the Advance a part of your day, and we’re excited to say that more-exciting announcements are just around the corner as we continue to innovate and expand our coverage of the region.
The donations of individual readers have made this year possible. Please join the hundreds who are supporting excellence in journalism by subscribing for just $8 a month.
Where does your money go?
It goes to support the great journalists we have – like Adele Uphaus – and the ones we look to hire in the year ahead.
If you can spare $8 a month, we’ll be both grateful, and reward your trust in us with more journalism, more stories, and more connections to organizations and people who make our region a great place to live.
If you can’t, thank you for reading the FXBG Advance!, and consider sharing us with your friends.
In 2024, let’s build an even better Advance – together!
Thank you for reading and supporting FXBG Advance.
-Martin Davis, Editor-in-Chief
