To: The Spencer City Council, City Administration, and Appointed Municipal Impound Officials

We, the residents of Spencer, Iowa, and concerned supporters of humane animal welfare, call upon the Spencer City Council to immediately modernize our municipal ordinances by formally codifying Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) into city code, and to enforce absolute compliance regarding the city’s animal control and impoundment protocols.

Through the dedicated efforts of community caregivers and the People for Pets caretaker registration program, Spencer has humanely managed its community cat population. TNR is a proven, legally recognized, and effective framework for stabilizing cat populations, reducing nuisance complaints, and protecting public health.

However, because TNR is not yet explicitly written into the text of our city ordinances, registered caretakers lack permanent legal protections, and community cats remain vulnerable to arbitrary removal and unlawful impoundment practices. Recent actions have undermined these humane efforts and highlighted critical gaps in municipal compliance.

Our Key Demands:

• Formally Codify TNR into Spencer City Code: We demand that the City Council explicitly amend local animal ordinances to legally recognize, define, and protect Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and its registered caretakers. This must include clear exemptions from standard "at-large" or nuisance violations for ear-tipped, ear-notched, and sterilized community cats under the care of registered colony managers.
• Enforce Mandatory Stray Hold Periods: Under Iowa law and local codes, impound facilities are legally required to hold stray animals for a designated period to allow owners or caretakers to locate them. We demand an immediate investigation into, and strict oversight of, instances where veterinary clinics or impound facilities acting on behalf of the city have bypassed or violated these mandatory holding windows.
• Accountability for City Contractors: Any private entity, veterinary clinic, or animal control officer contracted by the City of Spencer must be held to the highest standard of legal accountability. Violating municipal codes regarding animal holding and disposal is a breach of public trust and legal protocol.

Our Call to Action:

We urge our city leaders to:

1. Introduce an Ordinance Amendment: Draft and vote on a city code amendment that formally integrates TNR protocols into Spencer’s legal framework.
2. Protect Registered Caretakers: Formally shield registered caretakers from unfounded liability and targeted nuisance claims while they perform this vital community service.
3. Establish Impound Oversight: Implement transparent, auditable reporting protocols for all trapped and impounded community cats to ensure no animal is prematurely or unlawfully dispositioned.

Spencer deserves an animal control system that is both humane and legally sound. We call upon the Spencer City Council to uphold the law, respect the community’s investment in TNR, and officially codify these protections into city code.