The City of Beverly Hills is trying to put a 65 Year Old in Jail for feeding Stray Cats

Katherine Varjian, a 65 year old woman may face jail time for feeding hungry, abandoned stray cats in the City of Beverly Hills. Ms. Varjian has been feeding and spaying / neutering cats in a spec...
Katherine Varjian, a 65 year old woman may face jail time for feeding hungry, abandoned stray cats in the City of Beverly Hills. Ms. Varjian has been feeding and spaying / neutering cats in a specific area of Beverly Hills working to reduce the number of homeless animals born there. She should be applauded for her efforts instead of possibly being sent to jail. Many citizens and humane advocates support Ms. Varjian's efforts. We ask that Beverly Hills citizens reconsider the way they look at animals that for one reason or the other were dumped onto city streets or were left unsteralized, thus becoming pregnant and bringing new kittens onto the streets. Ms. Varjian is working to REDUCE the tax burden on citizens for the cost of capture, holding, feeding and in most cases, killing animals in our shelter system. Prevention is the answer. Also, these cats provide a FREE service - pest control that you can't find in a bottle or through a pest control company.

I hope that the Beverly Hills Conference and Visitors Center will also support Ms. Varjian and show the world who comes from far and wide to shop, dine and be entertained in the City, that Beverly Hills cares for ALL its inhabitants... even if they don't live in a mansion, stay in a 5 star hotel or do business on Rodeo Drive.

Missy Woodward - Animal News Journalist
Christi Metropole - Founder - Stray Cat Alliance
Donna Baker - Founder - Feral Cat Caretakers
Ben Harding - Stray Cat Alliance
Katherine Varjian - Defendant
Tina Varjian, Esq.
Jasmin Hartmann - Kitten Rescue
Bill Dyer - In Defense of Animals

There was a Beverly Hills City Council meeting on 7/7/09 to put in language that will make it illegal to feed stray cats in which 3 residents supported not feeding the strays and there were about 100 people including many residents who supported Ms. Varjian's efforts and TNR. Included among the supporters was probably an unprecedented turnout of representatives from many animal organizations including Kitten Rescue, Stray Cat Alliance, Coalition of Feral Cat Caretakers, In Defense of Animals, Last Chance for Animals, Best Friends and the Humane Society of the United States.

The Beverly Hills City council appeared to be wanting to be a humane compassionate city but also appeared to be confused and not educated on the issues, despite an outpouring of ideas and offers from the humane community.