A WOMAN who has been feeding feral cats in Thurnscoe for the past two decades says she feels like a ‘criminal’ after Barnsley Council issued a warning - and a potential fine and prosecution - to stop her from helping the felines.
Collette Boler, 62, has been feeding the stray cats on Albion Drive for the last 20 years with no issues.
It’s become a part of her routine and she’s helped rehome and rescue a number of them - working with charities along the way.
However last week, she was issued a warning letter to no longer feed the cats - and if she does she could be issued a Community Protection Notice and potentially face prosecution.
Collette’s daughter, Rebecca, told the Chronicle the letter has left her mum devastated.
She said: “My mum used to own Milly’s Cafe and it all started then because she used to deliver up there and there was lots of cats.
“She used to take little scraps of meat and feed them.
“She started having agencies involved to get them caught so they could be neutered to stop them from breeding because the area was overrun with them.
“South Yorkshire Cat Protection used to come and help.
“Some of them got rehomed - my mum has one and I’ve got one at my house, too.
“She goes everyday without fail and it’s never been an issue.
“If she’s on holiday, then I do it or my brother does it so they get fed every single day.
“On Thursday last week my mum got home from work and a council van was parked out there.
“The woman said she came to issue a warning that she was not allowed to feed the cats and if she did, she could be fined and prosecuted.
“My mum immediately was in floods of tears.
“It’s ridiculous.”
Rebecca says the community are rallying behind her mum with some even offering to sign a petition in a bid to change the council’s stance.
And she admits the warning has left her mum heartbroken.
She added: “They’ve literally just issued her with this warning and my mum’s not somebody who would go against something like that.
“It’s a good thing that she’s been doing.
“And now she feels like a criminal.
“She feels like she’s been punished for trying to do what she thinks is a good thing.
“Everybody else thinks it’s a good thing.”
A Barnsley Council spokesperson said: “We understand this situation has been upsetting, and we recognise the person involved was acting with good intentions, out of concern for animal welfare.
“The council became involved after receiving complaints from businesses on an industrial estate in Thurnscoe, where a growing number of stray cats were being fed several times a day on the public highway and around commercial premises.
“Over time, this led to a significant increase in the number of cats in the area.
“The businesses raised concerns about repeated fouling across their site, including inside buildings and on stored materials and stock, which was creating health and safety risks for staff and visitors.
“There were also concerns about the cats' safety due to vehicle movements and manufacturing activity on the estate.
“After reviewing evidence and previous requests to stop feeding in this location, the council issued a Community Protection Warning.
“This is not a fine or enforcement action, but an early step to prevent the situation from getting worse.
“The warning simply asks that feeding does not take place on public highways or around the industrial estate, to protect local businesses, people working in the area, and the animals involved.
“We always aim to protect public health and safety, and we encourage anyone concerned about stray animals to work with recognised animal welfare organisations, so support can be provided safely.”
