Winnipeg woman feeding feral cats lashes back at city after threat of fine
Carrie Muth working with Craig Street Cats to spay, neuter cats
A Winnipeg woman who has been feeding feral cats in her Elmwood neighbourhood is infuriated with the city's response to her act of kindness.
It threatened to fine her. In response she's accusing the city of trying to kill the animals.
"I feel like the city, or the animal services agency that is supposed to be here to protect these animals, is killing them," she said. "And that the city needs to come up with or realize that cull and kill doesn't work."
Muth has been leaving food in her backyard for a feral cat since early 2013.
In the spring of 2014, it had four kittens, one of which has since died.
Muth has continued to feed the mother and remaining siblings several times a week, out of her own pocket.
She said the city's Animal Services staff visited her Wednesday, after someone complained about the cats.
Muth said they threatened to fine her for having more than six animals (she has her own cat and dog but points out that still only adds up to six) and for feeding the stray cats.
She said the city staffers told her to stop feeding the cats and that the animals would eventually leave or die.
Animal Service's Leland Gordon explained feeding cats is not against the rules per se, but encouraging them to become a colony is.
"We have to balance," he said. "What we are getting here is everybody saying, 'It's so cruel about these animals.' But you have to understand that there are people in our community right who just don't want to live next to this stuff."
Gordon said it's a complaint-based system but would not confirm whether Muth is still facing a fine.
Muth is now working with shelter Craig Street Cats to get the animals spayed or neutered, then returned to the neighbourhood, where Muth will continue to feed them.
Staff at Craig Street Cats tells CBC the shelter is also trying to help another person who is facing a $700 fine in a similar situation.
Muth said she has had some 80 messages from across Canada and the U.S., many of them from people wanting to donate food and money for the animals' care.