The Bradford couple cited by the city Board of Health for
creating a public nuisance by feeding feral cats on their property
are appealing the decision, and are considering making an
alteration to their property to keep the animals contained.
“I had inquired (to city officials) about whether there would be
any sentiment if we would erect a fence on our property,” Ron
Langella explained Friday, “some sentiment that that might be an
acceptable compromise.”
He explained there is a specific product called Cat Fence-In,
which is a non-electric, polypropylene netting barrier.
“It’s a pretty cool concept,” Langella said. “It’s specialized
stuff to attach to fencing to make it impossible for a cat to go
over a fence from the inside or outside.”
He said that since the Board of Health issued the citation
earlier this week, he’s looked it over carefully.
“To me, the sentiment of the decision is that it’s a nice thing
that we care about the cats, but the neighbors have a right to have
the feral cats kept off their property,” he said.
“I’ve thought about it. If the cats were a threat to go on some
other property, if we fenced our property and did our best to keep
them in, would that eliminate the concern?”
While Ron Langella, and his wife Cathy, are considering
remediation to their property, they are still moving ahead with an
appeal to the Board of Health’s decision. And, Ron Langella
explained, he will be representing Siglinde “Alex” Vanderhorst’s
interests as well.
She is the other person cited by the Board of Health for feeding
the feral cats.
“Alex asked me for some legal help,” he said. Langella is an
attorney in Bradford as well as being the chief public defender for
McKean County. “The same issues are applicable to both appeals, so
I am going to” represent her as well.
“The appeals have been drafted. I will file them on Monday,”
Langella said. “The procedure is you get two bites at the apple.
The first right is to appeal to the city … to request a hearing
before the board. I will file those with the city clerk on
Monday.
“I’m going to ask for a stay to ask them not to enforce the
order pending the disposition of our appeals,” he added. In the
public nuisance order, the Langellas and Vanderhorst could each be
fined each day they feed feral cats on their property and may
accrue other penalties for noncompliance.
When asked if he had considered giving up on caring for the
feral cats, Langella paused a moment, then replied, “Why should I?
I have the right to appeal. This order says I have the right to
appeal. I’m exercising my rights.”
He stressed again that he and his wife are interested in being
part of a humane solution to the problem of feral cats in
Bradford.
“We’re interested in pursuing any avenue of discourse that
doesn’t create a death sentence for innocent animals,” he said.
