Jail time for woman who feeds stray cats

[hermetic]

This is awful, if true. One can never be sure any more. From GARFIELD Heights, Ohio, of all things....

"I used to have a neighbor that had a couple of cats, and he moved away, so he left them. I would always feed them and care for them because I was worried about them, and I'm a cat lover." But Segula's neighbors called the authorities who issued her a citation.

https://www.ajc.com/news/national/year-old-woman-sentenced-days-jail-for-feeding-stray-cats/BLPFXqa62gGyp4vPf7y09M/

If I lived in Ohio I would sure be making some phone calls.

[democratisphere]

1. Absolute outrage.

Nothing surprises me in this f'ed up country anymore. Some human are the most rotten of creatures.

[Ohiogal]

2. I'm not defending her jail sentence

Which I agree is cruel and excessive

But she has been to court 3 times previously over this.

Why haven’t some animal rescue organizations stepped in to help with the cats?

https://www.cleveland.com/crime/2019/07/judge-wants-new-hearing-for-garfield-heights-given-woman-10-days-in-cuyahoga-county-jail-for-feeding-stray-cats.html

[catrose]

3. Here we'd call her cats a colony, and I'd donate food to her efforts.

[qazplm135]

4. I love pets

but the proper course of action is to either take the cats in, or call animal control, or take them to a no kill shelter.

It is not to feed them, and then ignore multiple court citations.

I'd have fined her vice jailing but if you say fuck the law, the law tends to get the last word.

[Ohiogal]

5. I am an animal lover to the nth degree

But continuing to feed cats and let them breed again and again and roam the streets is not right, either.

I feel for this lady, I know her heart is in the right place, but perhaps she can choose a few of the cats to keep as pets and let a no-kill shelter handle the rest. I am surprised that a shelter hasn’t been notified of the situation up till now. Maybe the judge that will re-hear the case will order this. That sentencing judge sounds like a real jerk.

[hermetic]

7. I was hoping

someone from Ohio could get more info. Thanks.

I had a similar situation here. My elderly neighbor who was feeding a colony here had to move to a nursing home so I took over colony cat care. When several had babies last year I was finally able to find a local non-profit group and got their help. Still had to pay but it was a reduced price and some of you here donated to our Go Fund Me and we ended up rescuing, fixing and rehoming about 10, and 5 stayed with me. So, it would be great if someone could help her do something similar.

Agreed about that judge.

[Ohiogal]

9. Glad I could be of help, hermetic

[marybourg]

8. It's possible that the statute

prescribes jail time for a fourth offense and the judge had no choice. It's interesting that the report didn't contain an estimate of the number of cats she's feeding.

[emmaverybo]

6. No kill shelters? Have to be a grassroots and not all of these will take from people. Many take

from kill shelters. Maybe her local SPCA would give her the means to trap them and would spay and neuter free of charge. But I think most likely if she brings them to animal care and control, they stand a good chance of being euthanized.

[Duppers]

10. "...they stand a good chance of being euthanized."

That was my first thought.