(STORY IMAGE:KHQ.COM)
SPOKANE, Wash. -A Spokane woman is facing a hefty fine after neighbors complained about her feeding stray cats.
“She’s just trying to feed them so they don't starve,” said April Thrall, who helps take care for the cats. “She’s just trying to do the right thing.”
The Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service, or SCRAPS, says the woman, who lives in North Spokane, has at least 10 neighborhood cats hanging around her property. Neighbors who complained say it’s creating a mess.
“We haven't had any feud with the neighbors,” said Thrall. “So I’m not sure why someone would do that.”
The fine for having an unlicensed pet in Spokane is $200, according to SCRAPS.
SCRAPS says they will work with the woman to avoid a citation. Director Nancy Hill says an officer will help her trap the cats so they can be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and released if they are feral.
This is part of SCRAPS Trap-Neuter-Return program (TNR), which reduces animal euthanizations and improves their lives.
Hill says the best way to get rid of strays is to stop feeding them, and they’ll eventually move on.
If you have a stray problem in your neighborhood, visit: SCRAPS online.