North Whitehall Township finds kitten nursery violated ordinance
Organization announces it will appeal unanimous zoning decision by officials
North Whitehall Township officials unanimously ruled Wednesday that a kitten nursery violates zoning ordinances. The organization said Thursday it would appeal the ruling.
In just under four minutes Wednesday, members of the township’s zoning hearing board agreed that the zoning ordinance doesn’t permit Foxy’s Cradle, a newborn kitten nursery, to operate in the area where it’s located. The board then adjourned with no discussion or public comment.
In attendance at the meeting were Foxy’s Cradle owner Kandice Reinert, her attorney, Kendra Eden and roughly a dozen residents.
Eden said Wednesday it was too early to announce whether they would appeal the decision and recommended that Reinert refrain from speaking with the media, which Reinert obliged.
However, in a Facebook post after the meeting, the organization said, “This isn’t over. I’ll continue to fight for the most delicate of little ones as long as I physically, emotionally, and financially am able to. Sad day today, huge hit to not only our team here, but the entire rescue world, especially the orphaned, sick, injured, and abused little ones will ultimately pay the price. Heartbreaking.”
On Tuesday, Reinert called the decision a “nailbiter” and lamented how much of their resources were going to legal fees.
“We could be doing much better things,” she said.
The morning after the meeting, Reinert posted a GoFundMe to receive financial support for Foxy’s Cradle, and announced her intent to appeal the township’s decision.
“We have a volunteer team of 35 dedicated volunteers willing to continue our lifesaving efforts, but financially we will be unable to do so with this legal battle continuing,” Reinert wrote on the GoFundMe page. “We will appeal, we will continue to fight for the tiniest of souls who truthfully have
no other option or rescue to go to. This is a fight we cannot do alone, we NEED our communities financial support to get us through this.”
In July, the township found the nursery to be in violation of zoning for an “unpermitted operation of an animal rescue located in a single-family residence,” according to township documentation.
Reinert previously explained that her organization neither breeds animals nor possesses a license to be considered a kennel, meaning Foxy’s Cradle doesn’t fit any definition of what’s allowed in the township’s zoning. She said she also couldn’t apply for a kennel license due to its requirement for the handling of dogs.
Shortly after the Wednesday meeting, John Ashcraft, solicitor for the zoning hearing board, said Reinert’s representatives have 30 days after the board’s decision to appeal.
“If you have a residential district, it’s for residences,” he said. “That’s why they don’t want it having a lot of businesses.”
Dozens of residents previously come out in support
of Foxy’s Cradle, forcing the township to move an earlier hearing from the township building to the firehouse to accommodate the crowd.
Diana Bauer, a resident and friend of Reinert’s, said
she attended the meeting to support Foxy’s Cradle, calling it valuable to the community.
She added that she was disappointed with the township’s decision.
“It’s sad to see local government make this type of decision, but hopefully we can work with them and work with Foxy’s Cradle’s lawyer to come to some type of agreement,” Bauer said.