POTTSVILLE, Pa. — A new ordinance passed in Schuylkill County this week has a resident concerned with its target of stray cats and people who interact with them.
Patrick Morane, a citizen of Pottsville and a lover of cats, has been providing shelter and food to four stray cats for quite some time. He said his neighbor passed away and had no other family nearby to care for the cats, so he took them under his wing.
“There are a lot of stray animals running around, but people move in and out, and they leave them. Nothing we can do about it except take care of them," said Morane.
Now, as a result of a new ordinance passed at Pottsville City Council's meeting on Monday. Patrick can be fined and jailed for feeding or sheltering those very cats he's grown to love.
The new ordinance states, “Any persons in the city of Pottsville shall not feed, put out shelter, and/or interact with all outdoor animals, wildlife, suspected strays, etc..”
The city council cites the overpopulation of stray cats and health concerns as the reason for this new ordinance, but Marone said the cats have never been a bother to him or his neighbors before.
“I really don’t understand what they’re talking about as far as the health issues. Now the cats that come around here, I don’t know where they do their job, but it’s not on my property. They’re nice to me, you know.”
Anyone who violates the ordinance can be fined up to $600 or face up to 90 days in jail if the fine is not paid.
Morane now worries about what is to come of stray cats without food, water, or shelter.
“If I can’t feed the cats, what’s gonna happen to them? You’re going to find them in your yard, or a corner somewhere, all shriveled up from malnutrition.”
He hopes a solution can be made to ensure the well-being of these strays he feels he can no longer provide for.
The city has not yet said how it plans to enforce the ordinance.