Bellevue, NE Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Division 4 of chapter 6, §§ 6-56 through 6-61, creates Bellevue's feral cat colony caretaker permit. Its stated purpose in § 6-56 is to reduce feral cats and colonies through trap, neuter and release (TNR), attrition and relocation. Section 6-57 requires anyone over 18 who cares for, but does not own, feral cats in a colony to obtain the permit before doing so, and a permit holder is not treated as an 'owner' of those cats under the § 6-0 definitions.

Applying under § 6-58 requires a detailed description of each cat in the colony, proof the cats are sterilized, ear-tipped and rabies-vaccinated (or are being actively trapped for that purpose), the colony's address, the private property owner's written permission, and a fee set in the Master Fee Schedule paid at application and again biennially. No permit issues for a colony on public property, and the animal control authority may inspect the site at reasonable hours. Under § 6-59, a permit runs up to two years, renews biennially, and can be revoked for a chapter 6 conviction, refusing an inspection, inability to care for the colony, or failing to work the colony toward TNR. Section 6-61 caps colony size at 20 adult cats on residential-zoned property or 30 on commercial-zoned property, requires 80% of the colony sterilized and ear-tipped before renewal, requires feeding containers removed within two hours of being set out, and bars unsightly shelters or feeding that becomes a nuisance.