For many years, my family has been taking care of community cats in our neighborhood. We provide them shelter and use our own funds to sterilize and take proper care of these cats. Our garage, which we intentionally leave 90% open, serves as a safe haven for these cats, ensuring they have a place to stay regardless of the weather.

Unfortunately, our goodwill is challenged by Code Enforcement Officer M. Hancotte, who has shamelessly bullied us into closing our garage door. Officer Hancotte misclassifies these community cats as "pets", threatening us with fines because according to the RPB policies, only three pets are allowed per household. However, these cats are not our pets but community cats whom we, with full compassion, help to survive in this vast urban landscape.

Community cats are integral parts of our ecosystem. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) estimates that there are about 30-40 million of these community cats in the country, and that they need assistance from kindhearted individuals for food and shelter. The work my family does is not exclusive but is mirrored by countless others across the nation, reflecting a community effort to care for these vulnerable creatures.

It is crucial for Officer M. Hancotte to distinguish between pet and community cats. We urge RPB to educate their enforcement officers on this distinction and to stop Officer M. Hancotte's persistent harassment of my family. The laws need to be fair and respectful of our effort to support these community cats. Sign this petition to help us end the harassment and continue providing care for our community cats.