UPDATE
Nancy Segula has avoided jail time for feeding stray cats at her home in Garfield, Ohio. Garfield Heights Municipal Court Judge Jennifer Weiler vacated the ten-day jail sentence handed down to Segula only weeks before. Still, she had stern warnings for the nearly 80-year-old woman when it came to the cats.
She explained the health risks of the situation as well as the expense, telling Segula, “This is not a wealthy city and they have had to spend a significant amount of time and money on one homeowner. Nobody’s winning.”
Screenshot, cleveland.com/Facebook
The judge suggested Segula seek treatment for depression because she felt Segula needed help after the death of her husband and two kittens a couple of years ago. Segula’s lawyer, Joseph McGuinness, insisted his client’s love of cats drove her to feeding the strays and that she was unaware of a 30-year-ordinance prohibiting the feeding of stray animals.
When the judge asked why Segula continued when she’d been warned and cited previously, she answered, “Because I have a compassion for cats and I just felt bad they would come up on my back porch and look towards me.”
Having avoided jail time, Segula is working with local animal rescue groups to find places for the stray cats and says she feels “so good about it.”
Screenshot, cleveland.com/Facebook
Hearing Ms. Segula has avoided jail time for acts of kindness toward animals in need is a relief, but when caring for wild and stray cats, health precautions are necessary. Research the best way to help safely, for you and the cats. Trained rescue workers and volunteers are always available to help cats in need.
H/T: Fox59.com
Feature Image: Screenshot, cleveland.com/Facebook
Original Story…
Nancy Segula is 79 years old and lives in Garfield Heights, Ohio. She has a big heart, especially when it comes to cats. And she’s been sentenced to 10 days in county jail for feeding them…strays to be more specific.
Segula has been feeding strays since her neighbor moved away, abandoning his cats. Segula says of that time, “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.”
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Well, word got round to the strays in town and apparently her population of porch kitties grew. Neighbors began complaining of bad smells, feces, and even a deceased cat found near the property. Since 2017, Segula has received four citations in violation of city ordinances that forbid feeding stray animals.
In a hearing in May, a 10-day jail sentence was suspended in exchange for a promise from Nancy not to feed the strays anymore. She was, effectively, put on probation. Her heart wouldn’t let her do it.
“Even though I was on probation and I knew that I was not supposed to do this, I could not help myself because every time those cats would see me they would come running up by the door, and I just felt bad, and I had to give them something to eat,” Segula said.
When the violation of her probation was confirmed, Nancy had to appear before a magistrate who issued a ten day jail sentence. She was set to report for her sentence but after all the news coverage, Judge Jennifer Weiler scheduled a new hearing for August 6 to review the case before Segula was set to report to jail. A local rescue group has stepped in the hopes of helping both Nancy and the strays at her property.
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Animal advocates from Forever Friends and the Garfield Heights Animal Warden visited the property to remove stray cats and kittens.
“We’re making an effort to help her, to alleviate the problem, to remove the issue,” said Debra Bartowick with Forever Friends, adding she hopes it can spare Nancy any time behind bars.
The rescue group plans to evaluate all the cats and kittens and get them placed. They may go to local barns or shelters for adoption but they will not remain on the street. Why the county didn’t leverage public resources to remove the cats sooner is unknown.
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Although it is true that Nancy received several warning and citations, it just seems wrong to send an elderly woman to jail for listening to her heart and helping animals in need. Hopefully, the rescue group and local Animal Warden can sway the judge in this case to come to her senses and figure out a solution that satisfies the needs of all parties involved, including the felines.
What are your thoughts? Should feeding strays be a punishable offense? Who is really in the wrong here, the county for their handling of it or Nancy for her repeated care taking?
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