Kia ora
 
I write to acknowledge your information request of 3 December 2019 in respect of Hamilton City Councils Cat De-sexing Grant.
 
Please be advised that your request has been passed on to the relevant team within Council and you will be informed of the outcome.

The Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 requires that we advise you of our decision on whether the Council will provide the requested information or not "as soon as reasonably practicable", no later than 20 working days after the day we received your request. We will respond to you no later than 21 January 2019.

Kind regards,

Michelle van Straalen
Official Information Advisor | Legal Services | Governance Unit

DDI: 07 974 0589 | [email address]

Hamilton City Council | Private Bag 3010 | Hamilton 3240 | www.hamilton.govt.nz
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This email and any attachments are strictly confidential and may contain privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient please delete the message and notify the sender. You should not read, copy, use, change, alter, disclose or deal in any manner whatsoever with this email or its attachments without written authorisation from the originating sender. Hamilton City Council does not accept any liability whatsoever in connection with this email and any attachments including in connection with computer viruses, data corruption, delay, interruption, unauthorised access or unauthorised amendment. Unless expressly stated to the contrary the content of this email, or any attachment, shall not be considered as creating any binding legal obligation upon Hamilton City Council. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender and may not necessarily reflect the views of Hamilton City Council.

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Kia ora
Further to your information request of 3 December 2019 in respect of the HCC Cat De-sexing Grant, I am now able to provide Hamilton City Council's response.

You requested:
Official Information Request: Hamilton City Council Cat De-sexing Fund

1. The names of any successful applicants to the aforementioned fund, and the amount of funding allocated to them/their organisation to date.

2. The level of oversight into successful applicants, in particular, whether or not proof is required of an appropriate use of allocated funds. I.e., each entity is able to show that any cats being de-sexed are from a catchment area confined to the Hamilton City boundaries; that the cats are stray, abandoned, or otherwise un-owned; and that the cats are being rehomed.

3. Whether or not, to your knowledge, the successful applicants have or currently engage in programmes that release unowned cats into the community.

Our response:

1. The names of any successful applicants to the aforementioned fund, and the amount of funding allocated to them/their organisation to date.

Organisation Name Grant to be paid (excl GST)
Waikato Animal Outreach Trust $7,000
Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Incorporated $20,000
Paws 4 Life Charitable Trust $45,000
New Lives Animal Rescue $25,000
CAREVETS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION TRUST $3,000

$100,000

2. The level of oversight into successful applicants, in particular, whether or not proof is required of an appropriate use of allocated funds. I.e., each entity is able to show that any cats being de-sexed are from a catchment area confined to the Hamilton City boundaries; that the cats are stray, abandoned, or otherwise un-owned; and that the cats are being rehomed.

Each applicant was required to complete an grant application form attaching proof of their cat de-sexing record verified by a vet. During the grant assessment process all applicants were visited and their record keeping and animal re-homing processes discussed. All applicants receiving grants will be required to complete a grant accountability form which includes proof of the cats they have de-sexed and re-homed and the locations they were found and rehomed to. HCC staff have made it very clear that funds from the grant can only be used for stray or abandoned cats within the city boundaries. This condition was reinforced in the grant agreement form each applicant completed before receiving any funds.

3. Whether or not, to your knowledge, the successful applicants have or currently engage in programmes that release unowned cats into the community.

We are not aware of any of the successful applicants releasing unowned cats back into the community. A condition of the HCC grant is to re-home the cats that are de-sexed using these funds. Catch, de-sex and release is not an option this fund covers.

Feel free to contact me if you have any further queries regarding your request.

Kind regards,

Michelle van Straalen
Official Information Advisor | Legal Services | Governance Unit

DDI: 07 974 0589 | [email address]

Hamilton City Council | Private Bag 3010 | Hamilton 3240 | www.hamilton.govt.nz
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This email and any attachments are strictly confidential and may contain privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient please delete the message and notify the sender. You should not read, copy, use, change, alter, disclose or deal in any manner whatsoever with this email or its attachments without written authorisation from the originating sender. Hamilton City Council does not accept any liability whatsoever in connection with this email and any attachments including in connection with computer viruses, data corruption, delay, interruption, unauthorised access or unauthorised amendment. Unless expressly stated to the contrary the content of this email, or any attachment, shall not be considered as creating any binding legal obligation upon Hamilton City Council. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender and may not necessarily reflect the views of Hamilton City Council.

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