65-Year-Old Woman Faces Jail Time For Feeding Cats

Beverly Hills Courier ^

[Chet 99]

65-Year-Old Woman Faces Jail Time For Feeding Cats

Amanda Peabody

Published 07/02/2009 - 6:29 p.m. CST

Katherine Varjian, 65, had been feeding feral cats, or felines that are not under her ownership, in her Beverly Hills neighborhood for the past 12 years. The Beverly Hills Municipal Court will now decide whether or not her actions are within the confines of the law.

Varjian was feeding between 20 and 30 cats daily in the alley behind the 100-200 blocks of Palm, Maple and Oakhurst Drives. She was issued citations twice for this behavior – first in January of this year, then again in February. The violation is considered a misdemeanor by the City and will be heard by Beverly Hills criminal court. The charge carries with it a possible six months of jail time and a $1,000 fine.

The problem lies in a deleted code (5-2-104, subdivision B and C).

In an effort to streamline practices when handling animal control, the City retained the City of Los Angeles’ Animal Services Department for certain animal care and control services, consequently adopting their ordinances.

“As part of the adoption of the Los Angeles animal control regulations, provisions of the Beverly Hills Municipal Code that were designed to prevent the feeding of animals (including stray and feral cats) in such a manner that attracts coyotes and other predatory animals or otherwise endangers the health, safety and welfare of the general public, were inadvertently deleted,” said Cheryl Burnett, City spokeswoman

The code explicitly prohibits the feeding of feral cats and dogs on any public property, any property that is open to the pubic or any private property is not completely enclosed by a secured wall.

It is under this omitted code that Varjian has been charged.

Although Varjian has taken what is argued as excellent care of these cats – routinely spaying, neutering and adopting out kittens through various local organizations – her actions have also created a nuisance in the neighborhood, said local residents.

“(Varjian’s feeding of the feral cats) is a big problem that is not being looked at realistically,” said resident Darian Bojeaux. “The food brings coyotes to the neighborhood. Neighbors have had to clean up (excess food). It brings roaches and I am afraid for my own pets.”

Bojeaux and several other neighbors organized a petition against Varjian, asking her to stop feeding the alleged feral cats; 30-40 signatures were secured.

“Varjian has spayed and neutered at her own expense countless feral cats and has probably done more in the City to control the homeless cat population,” said Ben Lehrer, president of Kitten Rescue (www.kittenrescue.org), an organization that rescues stray, abandoned or sheltered cats and kittens that are slated for euthanasia from the surrounding area.

According to Lehrer, Varjian has adopted out over 120 cats and kittens, a vast majority from her neighborhood, he says.

The court will now decide whether or not to proceed with charges against Varjian in a hearing slated for Aug. 7 at 1:30 p.m. Counsel for Varjian has requested dismissal of the case (two counts were dismissed at Wednesday’s preliminary hearing) based on the grounds that Varjian has been charged against a non-existent code.

The City Council will be addressing an urgency ordinance either correcting the omission or clarifying its non-presence at the July 7 meeting.

[John123]

had been feeding feral cats

Uh oh... Feral Cat Freeper alert!

Take care how you post... because there is a female freeper who is very sensitive about this topic and she will use "liberal" words to attack your opinions...

[siamesecats]

Ping!

[JoeProBono]

[TSgt]

Uh oh... Feral Cat Freeper alert! Take care how you post... because there is a female freeper who is very sensitive about this topic and she will use "liberal" words to attack your opinions...

I used to have an old lady that lived next door who fed feral cats. My yard and flower beds stank of urine and they used to drive the dogs crazy. I'm not speaking of fluffy but of nasty, parasite infested, ill tempered feral cats.

I bought a couple traps and took care of the problem one at a time...

The old lady would tell me that she couldn't understand why they were running away. My wife suggested drawing little cats on the barn for the number of those I eliminated like a fighter ace would keep track of kills. ;)

[GovernmentShrinker]

That a lot different though, from this woman who is running a high volume spay/neuter and adoption operation in conjunction with her feeding of the feral cats.

[TSgt]

Spay/neuter them all you want, they don’t belong in my yard.

Cats should be controlled just like dogs.

My dogs don’t roam the neighborhood.

[EinNYC]

Hey Mike—did that make you feel like a MAN? To trap cats who were homeless through no fault of their own, who were hungry and sick—and then kill them? How about taking them to an adoption agency if they were causing a problem where they were? Alleycat Allies and other similar groups are nationwide. Killing them was totally unnecessary—except to prop up your obviously flagging ego.

I don’t know who the “Female Freeper” previously referred to is, but here’s another one. What you did absolutely sucked. Big “man”.

[MissDairyGoodnessVT]

Ya-Ya you are so kind......keep up the good work

[LongElegantLegs]

Have you ever tried to get a cat into a rescue? They usually have waiting lists of 6-9 months, at least in my area.

[Deo volente]

There are several people feeding the feral cats in my neighborhood. The cat population is about 20 and growing. A few months ago a coyote tore one of the cats apart and left the remains strewn on a neighbor’s lawn.

Yes, coyotes in Los Angeles, because of some stupid people who like to see cats running around.

[Slings and Arrows]

[randomhero97]

Must of been a sickly cat. I have a cat that would give a coyote something to think about. Of course, he’s a larger breed of cat so that is probably comparing apples to oranges.

[Young Werther]

Just fed my feral cats. All God's children's deserve a treat!

Phooey on Beverly's Hills!

[TSgt]

Hey Mike—did that make you feel like a MAN? To trap cats who were homeless through no fault of their own, who were hungry and sick—and then kill them? How about taking them to an adoption agency if they were causing a problem where they were? Alleycat Allies and other similar groups are nationwide. Killing them was totally unnecessary—except to prop up your obviously flagging ego. I don’t know who the “Female Freeper” previously referred to is, but here’s another one. What you did absolutely sucked. Big “man”.

Like most liberals you view things from an emotional rather than a logical perspective. I’m not talking about cute, cuddly fluffy here. These were parasite, disease ridden feral cats with a vicious demeanor. I personally witnessed several of them bite the old lady the fed them and most were loaded down with massive ticks. Any “shelter” would have done exactly as I did and put the cats down. People like you cause these situations because you perpetuate the feral population by feeding them. Similar to those that “help” the homeless population.

[MizSterious]

Hey, Mike. Thanks for your service to the country. That said, humane treatment of animals has nothing to do with conservative or liberal. It has to do with ethics, morals, and conscience. (I hope you’re not going to try to tell me that conservatives aren’t supposed to have these!)

Your stance on cats roaming loose makes no sense. You say that because your dogs are kept under control, cats should be, too. So what do you do about birds, who fly free and often defacate on the property (including cars, lawn furniture, and of course swimming pools)? How about squirrels? Do you also kill someone else’s dog if the little guy gets free of his leash? What about children who wander into your yard? Trap ‘em and shoot ‘em?

I have three cats, and keep them all inside, partly because of the coyote and bobcat population out here in the boonies, and partly because you never know when some knuckle-dragger is going to decide to use them for target practice. We’ve had that problem with our cattle already—and on our own land, no less.

[patriot08]

I had been feeding two ferals for two years- until my neighbor trapped them and took them God knows where.
A few weeks ago, this beautiful, gentle persion new cat wandered into my yard.
I asked the neighbor about it, and he informs me that it is his. If I were a mean, vendictive sort of person, I would trap HIS cat- but I’m not. I love all cats/animals- including his. I still miss my feral friends.

[Felis_irritable]

It is under this omitted code that Varjian has been charged.

Varjian has requested dismissal of the case (two counts were dismissed at Wednesday’s preliminary hearing) based on the grounds that Varjian has been charged against a non-existent code.

I'll show y'all liberal vs conservative behavior... this is exactly what the Clueless One has been doing with the finance industry and the auto industry, and will do with healthcare, the environment, firearms and the concept of right to work, among others. "We don't have a law? So what? Sue us, see how far you get in courts infested with our liberal friends!"

[TSgt]

Your stance on cats roaming loose makes no sense. You say that because your dogs are kept under control, cats should be, too. So what do you do about birds, who fly free and often defacate on the property (including cars, lawn furniture, and of course swimming pools)? How about squirrels? Do you also kill someone else’s dog if the little guy gets free of his leash? What about children who wander into your yard? Trap ‘em and shoot ‘em? I have three cats, and keep them all inside, partly because of the coyote and bobcat population out here in the boonies, and partly because you never know when some knuckle-dragger is going to decide to use them for target practice. We’ve had that problem with our cattle already—and on our own land, no less.

Cats and dogs are domesticated animals. It’s people like you who perpetuate the problem and then turn around and call people like me monsters for protecting my property.

Your bringing children in the argument illustrates your radical, non-logical, views on the subject thus we are done here.