GARFIELD HEIGHTS – A judge has suspended a 10-day jail sentence for a 79-year-old Garfield Heights woman.
Nancy Segula was previously sentenced for contempt of court charges for continuing to feed stray cats outside of her home.
A suspended sentence is a legal term for a judge’s delaying of a defendant’s serving of a sentence after they have been found guilty, in order to allow the defendant to perform a period of probation.
Animal advocates and the Garfield Heights Animal Warden have visited the property the past several days to remove stray cats and kittens.
Debra Bartowick with the animal rescue Forever Friends, told FOX 8 she hopes by removing the cats it will help spare Segula time behind bars.
Segula has been cited several times since 2015 for animal violations, including feeding stray cats, following neighbor complaints.
At a review hearing in July, a magistrate sentenced Segula to 10 days in jail for contempt of court after she repeatedly violated terms of her probation by illegally feeding stray cats at her home.
“The concern’s been all the cat feces, the urine smell, dead cats that have been found,” said Garfield Heights Animal Warden Bonnie Hackett, who said she has been to the house to trap cats multiple times in the past.
The judgment requires Segula to remove items in her yard that provide shelter for animals and stop feeding animals.
