Aug 23, 2006 By Rebekah Sungala 3 min read

MASONTOWN – After discussing the matter for several minutes, borough council voted Tuesday to table an ordinance that would require all cats within the borough to be licensed. Mayor Thomas Loukota, who initiated the discussion, said the ordinance is needed because there are an abundance of stray cats in Masontown.

Loukota said the ordinance, if properly enforced, would get rid of unwanted animals and make cat owners take responsibility for their pets.

“We have had a problem with rabid animals in town in the past and cats do carry rabies,” Loukota said.

In order for the cats to be licensed, Loukota said the owners would have to show proof that their pet was properly vaccinated. He said the borough has an ordinance in regards to dogs and that he sees no reason why there should not be one for cats.

In addition to reducing rabies, Loukota said an ordinance requiring all cats to be licensed would give animal control enforcement officers a way of identifying cats that are either lost or are destroying property.

“It makes the pet owners take responsibility,” Loukota said.

Loukota said the license will cost about $5 per cat. He said Robin Moore and the Steve Courson Human Society will handle the licensing and will be responsible for enforcing the ordinance, if passed at the next borough meeting.

Loukota said enforcing the ordinance would not cost the borough any money since the humane society would collect licensing money that will cover all associated costs.

Council unanimously voted to table the matter after President Harry Lee said he felt more time was needed to research the issue before council members were asked to make a decision.

Council members Carole Daniels, Frank McLaughlin and Joe Volansky were not present for the meeting.

As for other matters, council once again heard from Larry Swift of 206 S. Walnut St., who at last month’s meeting complained that a neighbor washes raw dog waste out of his garage and onto Mason Lane. He told council members the waste then flows onto South Walnut Street and eventually into a storm drain on Penn Avenue.

However, Swift’s major complaint was that the dog waste was a health threat and that a lot of time it didn’t make it to the drain, drying and accumulating along the curb and street.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Swift asked council members what, if anything, they were going to do to take care of the problem.

Loukota said the issue had been discussed and that the “simple solution” was to have the property owners tap the drainage from their garage into the sewer system.

Council voted unanimously to send the property owners a letter saying they are violating borough code by allowing sewage in the form of dog feces on the street. In the letter, the property owners will be asked to immediately take care of the problem by tapping into the sewer system.

The next regular council meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Sept. 12 in the municipal building.