2022 Animal Control Officer annual report

Towards the end of 2022, I became the Belgrade Animal Control Officer.  I enjoy being a public servant by helping families with their animals to keep them healthy and safe.  By keeping them healthy and safe please make sure they are up to date and current on their vaccinations.  Also, all dogs are required to be registered with the Town of Belgrade after they turn 6 months of age and have lived in the town for more than 10 days. I also would like to keep the town residents informed on current issues pertaining to feral cats.  The town has been working with The Cat Advocates from Buckfield, ME to trap and re-home a large colony with over 100 cats.  So far, they have trapped approximately 90 cats from this one colony.  We are working on getting these feral cats trapped, spayed or neutered, up to date on current vaccinations, and re-homed.  There is another feral cat colony that has been reported in December 2022.  I have been working diligently with our contracted agreement with Kennebec Valley Humane Society in Augusta.  Each week I have been trapping three cats for them to be vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and re-homed.  It is best to not feed feral cats because that is how colonies of feral cats start.  If you suspect there is a stray cat in your area, contact myself and we will work together to trap the cat.  In recent research from a study on feral cats it is said in 7 years, 2 unfixed feral cats can produce 420,000 kittens. It is my honor to serve the residents of Belgrade with any issues with domesticated animals.  Please call me day or night at (207) 557-2630.  For non-domesticated animals please call the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife at (207) 287-8000.

Jeffrey Worthing, Animal Control Officer