Charleroi again addressing feral cats
By TAYLOR BROWN
tbrown@yourmvi.com
Feral cats have again become a topic of conversation in Charleroi.
The issue has been a problem in the borough for more than a decade, and after helping to clean up the problem several years ago, Dr. Faith Bjalobok, founder of the Fluffyjean Fund for Felines, is struggling for funds to address it a second time.
The Fluffyjean Fund is a low-cost, spay-and-neuter program run by volunteers. With help from Animal Friends and White Oak Animal Safe Haven, Bjalobok and area volunteers work to help area cats and their communities.
Last year, the borough launched the Charleroi Colony Cat Project to help cover the costs associated with the volunteer work.
Through fundraisers and private donations, colonies were identified and cats were spayed or neutered, returned to their colony or adopted.
This summer, more feral felines started to roam the streets in certain areas of the borough.
Throughout the pandemic, Bjalobok and her group have helped nearly 100 cats, but the problem continues.
Last week, Bjalobok asked council members to consider an ordinance, in addition to those already in place, that would require residents to register colonies they take care of, among other restrictions.
“As you know, we have been in Charleroi for at least seven years and in that time we have spent upwards of $15,000 on this problem,” she said. “And, it will be another $10,000 to clean up the cats in Charleroi.”
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