Pinellas County Commission approves recommendations to curb feral cat problem kindly

CLEARWATER — Pinellas County Commissioners accepted this morning's recommendations by a citizens' group, which spent a year brainstorming plans to reduce feral cats.

There are no reliable figures, but experts think there are more than 100,000 roaming free through Pinellas County. In October 2008, the Pinellas County Commission decided to convene a group of animal experts to study the problem and help determine where to go next.

Tuesday, the group presented the results of the yearlong study at a special commission work session at the Pinellas County Courthouse. Commissioners agreed to take the group's suggestions to promote spay and neuter education, support and expand the spay and neuter programs for low-income citizens at Pinellas County Animal Services, and share resources like the county's Animobile with nonprofit animal groups.

The group of citizens, facilitated by Humane Society of Pinellas executive director Barbara Snow, have all been affected by feral cats in one way or another. They work for county Animal Services, nonprofit shelters, environmental groups, the Health Department and local feral cat advocacy groups. One consultant is an attorney in land use and environmental law, and one is a veterinarian with the University of Florida who founded two successful feral cat spay and neuter programs.

Stephanie Hayes can be reached at shayes@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8857.