Alley Cat Allies Backs Operation Catnip's Lawsuit Against Wake County, North Carolina

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Feb 01, 2012, 06:01 ET

Animal Control Refuses to Release Two Cats Being Held

BETHESDA, Md., Feb. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Alley Cat Allies, the only national advocacy organization dedicated to the protection and humane treatment of cats, today announced the organization retained attorney Calley Gerber of Gerber Animal Law Center to advocate on behalf of Operation Catnip against Wake County, North Carolina.

Last week, Wake County Animal Control trapped at least two cats from a managed and Trap-Neuter-Returned colony in Wake County. Although both cats are cared for and one is already neutered and vaccinated, Wake County Animal Center refuses to release the cats to Operation Catnip, a renowned cat organization in Raleigh that has spayed and neutered thousands of outdoor cats in the Wake County area.

Together with Operation Catnip, Alley Cat Allies requested that the cats' lives be saved and that Wake County collaborate with the two organizations on a humane approach for outdoor cats. Wake County has refused to cooperate.

The lawsuit asks the Court to issue a temporary restraining order preventing Wake County from killing the two cats. In addition, the lawsuit claims a breach of contract by Wake County in regards to an agreement between Wake County and Operation Catnip and a pilot Trap-Neuter-Return program.

"It's difficult to comprehend Wake County's complete reversal in policy, and why they now are rounding up and killing cared for cats who are part of a pilot program that the County actually collaborated on. Their actions have placed the well-being of these cats in peril. Alley Cat Allies will not let the actions of Wake County go unchallenged and allow these cats to be needlessly killed," said Becky Robinson, president and co-founder of Alley Cat Allies.

About Alley Cat Allies
Alley Cat Allies is the only national advocacy organization dedicated to the protection and humane treatment of cats. Founded in 1990, today Alley Cat Allies has more than 260,000 supporters and helps tens of thousands of individuals, communities, and organizations save and improve the lives of millions of cats and kittens nationwide. Their web site is www.alleycat.org.

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Becky Robinson
http://www.profnetconnect.com/becky_robinson

SOURCE Alley Cat Allies