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Arielle Bossuyt
Published on
June 28, 2024 at 7:38 p.m.
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16 years ago she found refuge Bichelin Way, in Vernon (Eure) in a small cocoon, certainly modest but warm.
Delighted by the welcome from the neighborhood, which quickly integrated her into the life of the neighborhood, she decided to stay there and even became its mascot. It must be said that her face leaves no one indifferent.
Despite this good cohabitation, the social landlord, MonLogement27, doesn’t want her anymore. No unpaid bill on the meter, nor nocturnal noise repeatedly and yet, Minette finds herself in the crosshairs. The reason ? It would attract rats…
“We’ve been taking care of her for 16 years.”
Minette, a little 16-year-old ball of fur, has won the hearts of her neighbors and it won’t be easy to dislodge her.
In mid-June, the residents of the buildings on Voie Bichelin received a message from the social landlord, ordering them to remove the shelter they had set up to accommodate the local cat.
“We have been taking care of her for 16 years. We built him a small shelter that we take turns cleaning. We give him food and water in bowls that we wash regularly. It’s clean and in 16 years we’ve never had a problem. »
Minette is not a wild cat. She is tattooed and registered by the association Les Chat’mis vernonnais as a free cat.
“She doesn’t let people approach her easily and she’s been used to living outside. Linda Dumélé (founder of the former Vernon cat school, Editor’s note) had asked that she not be moved out and that she be left to live like this,” says Brigitte.
An association in support
So, for 16 years, the residents have taken turns to look after their cat and have not hesitated to put their hands in their pockets to feed it.
“The Chat’mis take care of veterinary care. For the rest, we manage among residents, everyone gives him food and water. A lady who distributes leaflets always comes with a small bag of kibble and even our postman stops to give her caresses. »
By arriving in the neighborhood and in the lives of his neighbors, the feline has, in spite of himself, created a cohesion between the inhabitants who have learned to know each other and have formed bonds for the well-being of the animal.
Caroline*, 30, arrived in the neighborhood a year ago and has already become attached to Minette, which has allowed her to get to know her neighbors more easily.
“When I received the text message, I immediately thought that I had to see them to talk about it. We can’t stop there. »
A decision experienced as an injustice
Brigitte is even ready to launch a petition to defend Minette. This somewhat unusual “eviction notice” is seen by residents as an injustice.
“We attribute the presence of rats to our cat, but the only animals she attracts are hedgehogs who come to eat her kibble, and they are a protected species,” Pascale emphasizes.
MonLogement27 responds
MonLogement27 was alerted in early June about a cleaning problem and the presence of rats on Voie Bichelin in Vernon. “During the inspection by our services in the presence of the service provider mandated for the cleaning, several elements were noted. We reminded the Condor company of its contractual duties in terms of maintenance. However, it appeared that some tenants were misusing garbage containers and that they were being left uncontrolled on the ground, encouraging the proliferation of rats. Some bags were also visibly torn by cat claws, which resulted in waste being scattered on the public highway and attracting pests,” the landlord reported. MonLogement27’s local service also discovered a shed with food on the ground. “This practice goes against Article 120 of the RSD since it encourages the proliferation of the pests in question here,” he stressed. A reminder SMS was sent to residents on the proper use of containers and stopping feeding stray cats. Only one person called the Vernon agency to express their dissatisfaction. A rat extermination campaign in the cellars and around these residences has also been enacted.
Poor maintenance of the premises
For tenants, the presence of rats is explained more by a lack of hygiene calling out :
“The floors in the common areas are black with filth because the cleaning agency does not take its mission seriously. The bins are not cleaned regularly and the smell is terrible. Some people throw their rubbish on the floor.”
“Urgent work to be done”
Added to this is a quality of life which is deteriorated with unsecured buildings (doors having been broken down),‘isolation which leaves something to be desired and the humidity which creeps into the apartments. “There is urgent work to be done, we have been waiting for it for two years and now they are bothering us about our cat’s cabin. I think there are other priorities, especially since Minette has been there for 16 years. The rat problem is much more recent,” defends the resident.
*First names have been changed
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