Charity calls for council rethink in cat-feeding controversy
A CHARITY has waded into the Thurnscoe cat-feeding controversy, offering support to the woman issued with a warning after 20 years of caring for strays.
Collette Boler has been warned by Barnsley Council she will face legal action if she does not stop feeding strays on the Albion Drive industrial estate.
That stance appears to have backfired, with many people going online to offer to take up feeding duties – a situation the local authority might find difficult to control using the same Community Protection Warning system.
Now the Cat Action Trust 1977 Leeds charity, with expertise in the area of feral and stray cats, has urged Barnsley Council to reconsider its position and warned: “The Community Protection Warning issued by Barnsley Council will not fix the problem, it will only cause unnecessary suffering to defenceless cats.
“By issuing the warning, the problem will only worsen as the cats begin to starve and fall ill without human intervention.”
Instead, they suggest programme of trapping, neutering and returning the cats to the area, so they can no longer breed.
That should be coupled with rehoming, where possible, cats to loving homes or safer areas.
They underlined the value of the role Collette has played in caring for the cats, stating: “Feeders, like Collette, play an important role.
“Once cats are neutered, they monitor the colony to ensure they are healthy.
“They also look out for new arrivals of cats who aren’t neutered, so that these cats can also be TNR’d.”
The row has received national exposure since details emerged last week.
Collette became involved with the cats while running Milly’s cafe, a business now in the hands of her daughter, Rebecca.
She was issued with the warning after returning home to find a council officer waiting in a van, to hand her the letter.
Barnsley Council insist the warning is only a preliminary step and will not result in further action, so long as Collette complies.
However, failure to do so could result in a Community Protection Order being issued against her – with the ultimate sanction of prosecution and the threat of a fine up to £2,500 for non-compliance.