To: Mayor and Prosser City Council

Protect Community Cats & Effective TNVR in Prosser, WA

We urge the Mayor and Prosser City Council to revise proposed Chapter 6.10 before moving it forward for adoption.

Prosser should have a community cat policy that makes it easier for residents and rescue organizations to humanely reduce the number of free-roaming cats through Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR), not one that creates unnecessary barriers to doing so.

We ask city leaders to work with local caregivers, rescue organizations, and animal welfare experts to:

Remove or substantially revise the provision allowing healthy stray and feral cats to be euthanized and prioritize TNVR and return when appropriate.
Remove unnecessary barriers to volunteer trapping, including requiring every TNVR trapper to obtain Wildlife Control Operator certification.
Ensure licensing, fees, and administrative requirements do not discourage residents and rescue organizations from participating in TNVR.

Allow neighborhood concerns to be addressed without letting a single objection unnecessarily delay or prevent responsible TNVR.

Before adopting Chapter 6.10, please create a practical, humane policy that supports the residents already working to reduce Prosser's community cat population.

Why is this important?

Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) works best when community members can quickly and responsibly get free-roaming cats spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and returned to where they live.

Local rescuers and caregivers are already investing their own time, resources, and energy into helping Prosser's community cats. The proposed ordinance could make that work significantly harder by requiring specialized trapping certification, licensing and annual renewals, restricting feeding outside approved colonies, and creating additional approval requirements.

Most concerning, the proposal would allow a healthy stray or feral cat to be euthanized. Healthy community cats should not have to die when appropriate, TNVR provides another option: return them to their community & prevent future litters.

Prosser has an opportunity to create a policy that protects neighborhoods, supports responsible caregivers, and reduces the community cat population over time.

Residents shouldn't be penalized for being part of the solution.
Let's make sure Prosser's ordinance helps them succeed.