City Council
259 N. Wilma Avenue
Ripon, CA 95366
MEMO
To: Honorable City Council
From: Daniel Sauer, Chief of Police
Date: 09/08/2026
Subject: Chapter 6.12 Animal Ownership, Care and Treatment Generally RECOMMENDED ACTION:
This ordinance amends Chapter 6.12 "Animal Ownership, Care and Treatment Generally" in the Ripon Municipal Code declaring a public nuisance for feeding animals on any public property.
BACKGROUND:
Individuals have illegally abandoned or dropped off cats at Stouffer Park. Over time, the population has increased because many of the cats have not been spayed or neutered. Individuals have also begun leaving food in the park to feed the cats. While the intent of individuals feeding the cats may be to provide care, the practice has contributed to additional community impacts.
Problems Associated with the Stray Cat Population
Public Health: The stray cats create a potential transmission of diseases and parasites and increases the exposure of park users, particularly children, to stray animals and animal waste.
Animal Population: Uncontrolled reproduction can result in continued population growth, and feeding without a corresponding spay/neuter program does not address the underlying population issue.
Public Facilities: Cats can damage or occupy public facilities and landscaping, while the accumulation of food can attract other animals and animal waste creates sanitation and maintenance concerns.
Park Use: The concentration of cats and feeding activities affects the use and enjoyment of the park, and food left in public areas creates litter, odors, and other nuisance conditions.
Animal Shelter Capacity Limitations
The City Animal Shelter has 11 total cat crates available for housing cats, with 7 cages designated for domestic cats and 4 cages designated for feral cats. The shelter does not have sufficient space to relocate and temporarily house the existing stray cats at Stouffer Park while continuing to provide standard shelter services for other abandoned and stray cats in the community.
DISCUSSION:
Chapter 6.12 "Animal Ownership, Care and Treatment Generally" of the Municipal Code establishes general rules and regulations governing animal ownership, care and treatment.
Chapter 6.12 also declares certain public nuisances regarding animal ownership.
This ordinance updates Chapter 6.12.110 "Public Nuisance Declared" in the Ripon Municipal Code to add subsection E, declaring a public nuisance for feeding animals on any public property that reads as follows:
E. It is unlawful for any person to feed, cause to be fed, offer food to any animal, or to scatter food, seed or other forms of matter edible to animals (collectively referred to as “feed” or “feeding”) on any public property (which includes, but is not limited to, public buildings, streets, street rights-of-way, sidewalks, driveways, parks, public facilities or any other public property). This section shall not apply to feeding activities conducted as part of a trap program conducted by a City Animal Control Officer.
Proposed Municipal Code Amendment & Enforcement
Enforcement of the Municipal Code will follow a tiered penalty structure:
First Offense: Warning
Second Offense: $100 fine
Third Offense: $200 fine
This prohibition does not preclude feeding activities conducted as part of a Trap, Neuter, and Release Program.
Comprehensive Strategy to Address Abandoned Cats
Amending the Municipal Code is only one component of a broader, multi-faceted strategy to address the abandoned cat population at Stouffer Park. Additional planned steps include:
Population Management: Partnering City Animal Control Services with rescue organizations to manage community cat overpopulation.
Site Monitoring: Tracking the number and conditions of the cats remaining at Stouffer Park.
Public Education: Informing residents that abandoning cats is unlawful and requesting that anyone observing an animal being abandoned report it to the Ripon Police Department.
Ongoing Enforcement: Active enforcement to address violations once the ordinance is adopted.
There are no changes from first reading to second reading. Following is the proposed Ordinance recommended for second reading and adoption.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The proposed changes will not have a fiscal impact.
ORDINANCE NO. 939
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
RIPON AMENDS A PORTION OF CHAPTER 6.12 "ANIMAL
OWNERSHIP, CARE AND TREATMENT GENERALLY" OF
THE RIPON MUNICIPAL CODE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RIPON AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER. Chapter 6.12.110 of the Ripon Municipal Code is hereby amended to add subsection E, to read as follows:
6.12.110 Public Nuisance Declared
E. It is unlawful for any person to feed, cause to be fed, offer food to any animal, or to scatter food, seed or other forms of matter edible to animals (collectively referred to as “feed” or “feeding”) on any public property (which includes, but is not limited to, public buildings, streets, street rights-of-way, sidewalks, driveways, parks, public facilities or any other public property). This section shall not apply to feeding activities conducted as part of a trap program conducted by a City Animal Control Officer.
SECTION 2. CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA). The City Council hereby finds that the adoption of this Ordinance does not constitute the approval of a “project” under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to section 15060(c)(2) and (3), 15061(b)(3), 15262, and 15378 of the State of California CEQA Guidelines.
Specifically, this Ordinance will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment because it does not authorize the construction of any new structures or other physical changes to the environment.
SECTION 3. NO MANDATORY DUTY OF CARE. This Ordinance is not intended to, and shall not be construed or given effect in a manner that imposes upon the City or any officer, agent, employee or volunteer, thereof a mandatory duty of care towards persons and property, so as to provide a basis of civil liability for damages, except as otherwise imposed by law.
SECTION 4. SEVERABILITY. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this Chapter is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Chapter. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed the ordinance codified in this Chapter, and each and every section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase not declared invalid or unconstitutional without regard to whether any portion of this Chapter would be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE AND PUBLICATION. This ordinance shall go into effect 30 days after its adoption and a summary of this ordinance shall be published five (5) days prior to and within fifteen (15) days following its adoption in the Manteca Bulletin, the official paper of the City of Ripon.
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Ripon this 8th day of September, 2026, by the following vote:
RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Michael Restuccia, Council Member
SECONDER:Daniel de Graaf, Council Member
AYES: Gary Barton, Dean Uecker, Michael Restuccia, Daniel de Graaf ABSENT: Leo Zuber
THE CITY OF RIPON,
A Municipal Corporation
By _______________________________
GARY BARTON, Mayor
ATTEST:
By: ___________________________
LISA ROOS, City Clerk