The huge danger is that this will set a precedent for our own City Council and County governments. This is an important case.
I understand Ed Boks accompanied Mrs. Varjian to court yesterday. Maybe Ed can take ownership of this issue, as I am sure he still has a big voice among bureaucrats.
I couldn't find who wrote the below:
The crowd (which I estimate to be 20+) which came to support Katherine Varjian (identified with red ribbon armbands) included Ed Boks, who offered to tell the judge about the agreement LAAS created with the city of Beverly Hills. This agreement matched the animal control laws in Beverly Hills with those of the city of Los Angeles, where feral cat care taking is legal, making the anti-feeding ordinance no longer in effect.
Believe it or not, the Beverly Hills City Councilmembers are voting on an "emergency motion" to REINSTATE the inhumane ordinance at their next meeting on Tuesday, July 7th at 7 PM, so we have to make a strong showing then. The prosecutor was saying that it was a "mistake" that the cruel ordinance got deleted! The judge was not ready to make a ruling today because she says she just got the paperwork 2 days ago and needed to absorb it more thoroughly. Katherine's daughter, who is an attorney representing her, wanted a ruling today because the city council may reinstate the ordinance. So, if the ordinance will be reinstated, the judge will hear the case and make a ruling on August 7th at 1:30 PM.
If the city council doesn't vote to reinstate it, then the case will be dismissed.
Only once was feeding ferals even brought up (and it was probably a good 35-40 minutes or so of back and forth legal jumbo). No chance was given to mention how Katherine practices TNR [trap/neuter/release] and adopts out any kittens or cats that can be socialized. The city of Beverly Hills should be giving her an award, not arresting her!
Anyone who would like to tell Beverly Hills City Council how they feel about their "emergency meeting" and quest to jail a kind-to-animals senior citizen should attend:
Council Meeting
Tuesday, July 7 , 2009
Beverly Hills City Council, Rm. 400
455 N. Rexford Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Mayor and City Council: (310) 285-1013
Believe it or not, the Beverly Hills City Councilmembers are voting on an "emergency motion" to REINSTATE the inhumane ordinance at their next meeting on Tuesday, July 7th at 7 PM, so we have to make a strong showing then. The prosecutor was saying that it was a "mistake" that the cruel ordinance got deleted! The judge was not ready to make a ruling today because she says she just got the paperwork 2 days ago and needed to absorb it more thoroughly. Katherine's daughter, who is an attorney representing her, wanted a ruling today because the city council may reinstate the ordinance. So, if the ordinance will be reinstated, the judge will hear the case and make a ruling on August 7th at 1:30 PM.
If the city council doesn't vote to reinstate it, then the case will be dismissed.
Only once was feeding ferals even brought up (and it was probably a good 35-40 minutes or so of back and forth legal jumbo). No chance was given to mention how Katherine practices TNR [trap/neuter/release] and adopts out any kittens or cats that can be socialized. The city of Beverly Hills should be giving her an award, not arresting her!
Anyone who would like to tell Beverly Hills City Council how they feel about their "emergency meeting" and quest to jail a kind-to-animals senior citizen should attend:
Council Meeting
Tuesday, July 7 , 2009
Beverly Hills City Council, Rm. 400
455 N. Rexford Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Mayor and City Council: (310) 285-1013
Is Nathan aware of all this????
ReplyDeleteTNR isn't legal in Los Angeles. It's also illegal to feed feral cats and wildlife in LA. What the hell is Boks blabbing about? He just can't stop lying. He'll say anything to be the center of attention. He's pathological!
ReplyDeleteWhere is the law that it is illegal to feed feral cats in LA City or County? Where are the code numbers?
ReplyDeleteThe meeting is at 7 PM on Tuesday. Please try to make it to stick up for feral cats and their caretakers EVERYWHERE! We cannot allow this ordinance to pass! Thanks, Ed.
ReplyDeleteWe can also put it this way: TNR is not illegal in LA, and likely will be legal after CEQA is completed, if ever completed.
ReplyDeleteThe City's own site says you cannot feed wildlife but you are obligated to leave food outdoors for your own outdoor animals.
Nowhere is it said you cannot leave food for feral cats as is the proposed BH ordinance.
When I feed, my intent is to feed feral cats. I usually leave enough for their initial meal and maybe a little more to last for comebacks for an hour or so.
In my one alley where I have been feeding for 5 years, I have never seen a rodent eating the food except for possum, but this is rare. Once, in five years I saw a dead rat in the alley, never a live one.
At a nearby supermarket where others feed, I have seen raccoon and possum fairly often, but never rats or mice.
In Santa Monica, where I fed several colonies, I regularly saw possum and raccoons eating colony food in the Palisades Park area, but not in the streets or allies I fed.
I used to feed on my own porch in Santa Monica for years---every night. I used to photograph the possum, raccoons and skunks that came to eat as well as homeless cats. NEVER a rat in over 20 years.
I have seen a few coyotes both in Santa Monica and the Valley, but this was early in the morning, never in the evening up until midnight when I last fed, and long after all the cat food was gone.