A Catoosa County, Georgia woman is facing charges for feeding a colony of feral cats in Fort Oglethorpe. The city has a new ordinance making it illegal for people to feed feral cats. Residents are upset because they’ve been tending to the cats for years and fear the cats will starve to death since it’s now a crime to leave food out.
Pat Shaw will appear before court this week after being charged with a misdemeanor in December for feeding the cats. She has since stopped feeding them, but now feels the local government is harassing her. One surveillance camera photographed her car before checking to see whether Pat left food out for the cats at the city park.
Resident Angie Templeton told WRCB-TV that the most she’d seen around at one time is 15. City Manager Ron Goulart contradicts Angie, saying that there are at least 100 cats in the area. Goulart has advice on how to avoid being charged for caring for the cats saying:
“Do not feed the wild animals, it’s real simple.”
This video shows interviews with several of the cat feeders, as well as Goulart
WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & Sports
Signs are out stating feeding animals is now prohibited and violators will be prosecuted. Goulart says the problem has gotten worse over time because people are dropping off their stray cats right and left. He considers feeding the cats attracts racoon’s and more cats, and has installed surveillance cameras in the park. To date at least two misdemeanor citations have been issued.
Goulart claims to have nothing against cats. It’s just a rule in the park against feeding them, just like it’s a rule not to drink beer or have wild parties in the park. He also states serial offenders could be banned from park property.
Catoosa Citizens for Animals Care (CCAC) President Kelly Evans told WRCB-TV
“You know I would hate to see the city of Fort Oglethorpe being known as a city who hates people who take care of animals.”
Kelly says volunteers with CCAC feed the cats off-property, trap, spay, neuter and release them back into the wild in a TNR program. The cats are sterilized, given their vaccines and ear-tipped before being returned to their colony. Not only are sterilized cats less aggressive, they’re protected against rabies since the vaccine is one of those given at the time of surgery. TNR has been shown in scientific studies to be a humane method to control the pet population (see one success story). A maintained colony of feral cats will decrease over a decade or so since they’re unable to reproduce.
As for Pat Shaw, she says she’d just like to go for a peaceful walk in the park
“I feel like I can’t even walk out there without somebody watching me constantly.”
The big question posed by the Fort Oglethorpe city park cat caregivers is why isn’t the law enforced over pet abandonment. If surveillance cameras can catch the license plates of those who are feeding the cats, then the cameras should be able to catch those dumping cats in the park. Wouldn’t it be better to punish those causing the problem rather than those trying to help the cats survive?
Please comment on Facebook to spread the word. Please click “Also post on Facebook”. Thanks:
Source: 1
Please search using the search box at the top of the site. You are bound to find what you are looking for.
To punish compassionate, responsible people who are doing TNR (Trap, Neuter & Release) who are managing a colony to keep population control down is IRRESPONSIBLE, SHORT-SIGHTED & down right EVIL. Commendations are due to these wonderful people. The punishment is misdirected & should be aimed at those who do NOT spay & neuter. What a sick community I would be glad to say I do not live in Fort Oglethorpe because it is obviously run by idiots!
Well said Melody. I believe and I would hope that in most counties and cities in the USA, the legislators are enlightened enough to not criminalise volunteers participating in TNR programs. In the better ones they are supported and sometimes regulated; working together with the local authority for the betterment of feral cats and to manage their population sizes.
And, just when I thought I was done…
In my opinion, to survey a (I assume) public park for the only expressed purpose of criminalizing caretakers is about as low as this county’s authorities can go.
It was the same here for a long time until caretakers came out of hiding and rescue groups backed them when they requested to be on the agenda for city/county meetings. When presented with facts regarding TNR, the council accepted and that feeding ordinance was wiped from the books.
The answer is to come forward, gather supporters, and pound some sense into the elected officials who depend on YOUR support.