I have a friend who is a teacher, and she does the same thing I do but on a smaller scale. Plus, she does what she does in the daytime. I don't know where her locations are, but there is one that is near where I feed. In fact, its down the street from where I fed in the earlier days, when I fed at a vacant house's porch, that has since been torn down. In fact, at one point, the city boarded up this house but there were cats trapped inside, so this friend got an ice pick or something and made a hole so that they could get out, and in so doing (as a favor to me while I had to be at work), the cops showed up and she was handcuffed, made to feel like a criminal, and written a ticket for trespassing. Just prior to that a sign was posted on this porch "no trespassing". Now, I believe I have rescued at least five cats from this spot, way back then, including two baby kittens, yet finding their sibling dead in the back of the house. This charge was senseless in that the police officer could have given her a warning, and also, she being a teacher, was very paranoid about losing her job.
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| Vanessa - Mom I Rescued from Pennsylvania Street - 2013 |
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| Vanessa's Baby Charlie |
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| Vanessa's Baby Pumpkin |
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| I believe this is Vanessa's Baby - the one that got away. (taken early 2014) |
So my friend, who is small in stature but BIG in personality, remains somewhat paranoid, for her own personal reasons, when it comes to getting caught feeding cats. She deals with some very nasty people, as I have a gazillion times, and will continue to have to, but the difference between her and I is she tries to reason and be kind first, but I think she then backs off. I would be the opposite. I get CRAZY when someone starts to mess with my stuff, and the kitties. And then I finally have to move my stuff and move on, hoping the kitties will find me.
Anyways, that one spot, just down a ways from where I used to feed, is a multiple housing building with an unlocked gate. She was concerned because the property manager has been throwing her stuff out, and she asked me to ask my cop friend about the laws of feeding cats. Well, my cop friend is too busy these days due to her work to answer this, so for the sake of immediate necessity (does that even make sense?) in knowing the answer to this, I ask anyone who may know the law to answer this.
I went there this morning to check it out. I got out, brought five bowls, poured food into four of them and water into the fifth, filled with dry, topped with wet, and out of the woodwork came FIVE cats right there and then. They waited for me to get a distance away, but FIVE I counted. All coming from around the corner of this building, and waiting also in the parking lot there. She says she has been feeding 8-10 cats there. Its despicable.
(TO MY FRIEND, Please correct any mistakes here, or add your comments!)
My first thought about all this is, I'd like to ask the question to these jerks (I am using a term that I would normally replace with something else) why is it so bad to feed these hungry animals? As long as you are trying to reduce the population by spaying, neutering, rescuing what you can, what harm are you causing? Can you really turn a blind eye to cats starving because your tulips are being stepped on? Can you really turn a blind eye because, you just don't want them there? Give me a reason to NOT feed a hungry animal!
I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this newsclip about an overpopulation in Batavia, and what they are proposing to do. Kill the cats. How did this population get so out of control in the first place? Let me try to paste the link here:
http://www.13wham.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/cats-causing-concern-batavia-21211.shtml#.VRKgLOptmdw.email
Wrapping this up, please, if anyone can help my friend out answering the question about what her rights are, I would appreciate it.
"When it comes to having a central nervous system, and the ability to feel pain, hunger, and thirst, a rat is a pig is a dog is a boy."
Fancy handcuffing somebody for that ! surely the ticket would have been enough ? very poor response for that incident, isnt it supposed to be equal to the threat the officer feels ? didnt know about Batavia, I hope we can get that changed, they got it changed with that prison feral population down Carolina, I thinK it was, just recently....
ReplyDeleteSO,,, there is no owner for this property? The city "owns" and has posted a no trespassing on "city property"? I say since "we" are citizens--the city owns nothing. The taxpayers do and since "we" are taxpayers--we are not trespassing on property "we" own. And handcuffss???????wtf. The cops should be charged with over aggressive hassasment. I'd like to know the ownership records of that property.. I would.
ReplyDeleteAlan
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Deletedoes the truth hurt? is that why the comment was erased
DeleteAsk for a meeting with the property owner and try educating them to the benefit of rodent control - closed colonies - etc. You catch more flys with kindness than vinegar.
ReplyDeleteJanine,
ReplyDeleteI went way out of my way in an attempt to help your friend when this first occurred. I spent hours giving her information both by telephone and in writing, because I understood and respected her for what she was doing as I respect you for what you do. However, all my expert advice fell on deaf ears because she didn't want to hear it. It appears that as of recent your blog is turning into a venue where people are taking cheap shots at the Police. As a Police Officer of 33 years and someone who still works as a Court Officer this is very hurtful. The vast majority of Police Officers take their oath of office very seriously and honorably serve and protect the citizenry daily. Unless you walked in our shoes please do not judge us so harshly and unjustly. By the way if I recall correctly your City school teacher friend apprised me that her father was a retired RPD Sergeant. Lastly, oftentimes the primary (first on scene) Officer has no discretion regarding whether to make an arrest or not especially in Trespassing matters which the Officer is making a turnover arrest and is not the complainant.
Walt Simoni
To the disgruntled readers with LEO's lately, I'm sorry you feel that way. Perhaps you've seen the news recently where Officers are being shot at, stabbed, or run over simply because they wear a uniform. (Wisconsin lost an Officer yest, being shot by a bank robber.) Know this, at 0400hrs, usually there's two types of people out at that time, people going to work and people up to no good. If you meet a not so friendly LEO, think about what him/her has going thru their mind, keeping in mind ALL of the violence against Police lately. Maybe they just stopped a robbery & their adrenaline is pumping, maybe they wrestled with an idiot a short time ago, maybe their dog died, maybe their marriage is ending. LEO's are not superman, they do not have an 'S' on their chest. They have emotions & feelings just like you do. Him not giving you a ticket for a brake light out was a break. That doesn't happen everyday. He could have given you a ticket, you could have been inconvenienced to have to pay a fine, go to the shop, get a slip to show it was fixed, then go to court. Instead, he CHOSE to send you on your way. As for your friend that got arrested, the law is the law. That Officer didn't show up randomly, I'm sure, as your friend opened the door. He/she was called there by someone reporting her. A simple Trespass violation was a blessing for her. She could have been charged with Criminal Trespass, amongst other things. There are so many 'eyes' and Monday morning quarterbacking on LEO's these days, that they truly they are damned if they do and damned if they don't. If he/she didn't arrest your friend, I'm quite sure PSD would have heard about the "Cop that did nothing" Sadly, that's the state of the world today. Find fault in our legal system, find fault in our 'animal' system that allows anyone to get a pet, not care for it and toss it outside, and never be held accountable, only to go get another. I've yet to meet anyone, in any profession that is 100% pleasant every second they are working. As for handcuffing, it's an Officer Safety issue. How did that LEO know that there weren't more people inside/around? That she didn't have some type of weapon on her? Lastly, most LEO's killed, are killed during a usually minor offense that they are being stopped for. Believe it or not, most criminals do not say "I'm going to kill you" before they actually go through with it. Do not find fault until you have walked in the LEO's shoes. Stand behind your LEO's, not second guess them.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for taking the time to write the above. Hopefully, in the future people will think before they sound off about something they know nothing about. You evidently are or were a LEO and I personally thank and salute you for your service.
DeleteWalt Simoni
Thank you for your service as well Sir to our community and for the many helpless cats that are tossed into these horrible situations. Together we are making a difference.
DeleteI have read with interest both comments that state LEO's are only human--have bad days like everyone else and we should not find fault with them until we walk in their shoes. There is truth in that statement. However we live in a society where we expect our police to live/react/respond at a higher standard than the common citizen. Is that unfair? Yes it is. But if a career as a law enforcement officer is supposed to be more than just a job-- but a higher calling to serve..then unfortunately having a bad day ,like we all have really has greater negative impact. Police have a highly dangerous job. They are being attacked and killed on the job. That is horrific.. But the unfortunate balance of "life" is that our police are expected to operate at a higher standard. Second guessing?
ReplyDeletehave you ever been handcuffed and arrested for doing something that you thought was a service to the community? These are evocative topics.
Alan
As someone with very close friends in law enforcement and someone who has the utmost respect for LEO's, the problem here is not with officers, it is with our laws that don't protect the animals and make them property and not valued as beloved beings. While i am sure some officers do not care as much for animals as we on this blog and we rescuers do, I would Have to say most experiences I have had with the police and In rescue have been extremely compassionate and professional. The attitude of so many eager to bash the police really upsets me. I often think of a cartoon that says something like disrespect the police? Next time you need help call a crack head. Just wanted to add my 2 cents as I support our police dept. I am not sure what transpired with this woman and advice given to her from Walt, but I do agree with meeting the property owner and trying to work it out. It is illegal to feed on private property without permission. If we don't like that then we need to work with the property owner or find another place to feed unfortunately. Julie
ReplyDeleteWell said. The law is the law. Period. You don't like the laws, good luck getting any blowhard politician to change it. With that being said though, sometimes doing the wrong thing, IS the right thing regardless of what some Penal Law says. If I was in that woman's shoes, I would have done the same exact thing until I got those kitties out. As for LEO's being held to a higher standard, 99.99% of them do that every single day, every shift. You want to see what the LEO's 'real' world looks like, do a ride along in the City on an afternoon or overnight shift. You want to find fault with someone? Find fault with those that put these kitties, Janine, and every other cat rescuer in this position. Confront them, tell them exactly how you feel. And.... oh yeah, the disdain you have for the Police, you just might want to set that aside while they protect you.
DeleteWhy not cut Janines blog some slack ? its not a billboard on the thru way, The Police force are many, hence, the term Police Force and a thick skin is a characteristic required of it members .., they have much support among their ranks for starters. Janines mission is one, just one.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read your blog,I enjoy it and imagine sitting having a coffee with you, casually chatting about all sorts of things, nothing more than that,The blog has never struck me as a place to air your personal point view, including today.. What I take away from the blog is how I can get more help for the cats, the other words are not improtant. You go through a lot my girl, I feel for you..
ReplyDeleteAll I know is that NO ONE is bashing or blasting the RPD or any other Law Enforcement agencies in anyway. Yes my Dad was RPD for 38 years, and he also served Our Country. This situation that Janine spoke about happened like 7 years ago, and who cares about it now. I do respect the Law and the Officers, but there are times when we all need to access a situation before we make judgement on the situation or someone. I do not have Deaf Ears either. Anyone trying to help with the stray/feral cat situation are kind and respectful people with a Big Heart. Again there was No Intent to Disrespect Law Enforcement.
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Deletewhy was the comment erased?
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