The Bay of Islands SPCA is making a last-ditch attempt to overturn a decision barring a feeding station for stray cats from a Paihia reserve.
The Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board voted last month to order a group of Paihia residents, led by 86-year-old Betty Chapman, to remove a stray-cat feeding station from Williams House Historic Reserve. The group was also instructed to stop feeding the cats on council land by May 6.
The decision, which sparked an outcry on cat lovers' websites around the world, was based on the belief that the feeding station was a breach of the Reserves Act. However, the SPCA believes putting a stop to feeding the cats is a breach of the Animal Welfare Act.
On Thursday, Bay of Islands SPCA manager John Logie met the Far North District Council's in-house lawyer, John Verr, in an attempt to persuade the council to reverse the decision.
Mr Logie told the Advocate he been had asked to clarify the legal issues and provide more information from the SPCA's lawyers, which he was endeavouring to do by yesterday, in the hope of reaching a resolution before the May 6 deadline.