Operation Catnip Sues Over Wake County Cat Roundup

A TNR group is at odds with the notorious Wake County Animal Services over the roundup and killing of cats deemed a nuisance that the group says the county had agreed to let be.

Last week Wake County North Carolina Animal Services division personnel rounded up a dozen cats from an Apex colony and has since put ten of the cats to death. Raleigh TNR group Operation Catnip filed suit asking to have the two remaining cats released, and for damages over breach of contract.

The two sides tell very different versions of the story of the cats and the reason they were rounded up and removed from their home area. “The neighbors were not complaining,” said Lisa Krestalude, the President of Operation Catnip. “We were working with the community.”

“Unfortunately, the residents in this community were seeing an increase in the number of cats that were coming around,” said Dennis McMichael, Wake County Animal Services Director. Wake county officials said their actions were prompted by complaints and called the captured cats a public nuisance.

Operation catnip claims that despite an agreement with the county, an animal control officer has intimidated caretakers at an Apex mobile home park since June of last year — saying they’d be liable if the cats hurt anyone.

This first video is a report on the story from last night

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Tonight’s news update explains Operation Catnip’s understanding of the agreement they had with the county to implement a pilot TNR program, to ease the county into the practice. The update confirms that the two remaining cats will be released, but the lawsuit stands.

Pressure and publicity arose today when national advocacy group Alley cat Allies issued a press release on the case in support of Operation Catnip.

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