By Stone Martindale Sep 18, 2006, 20:04 GMT
PIERSON, Fla. -- Dr. Phil, the chat show host who was a protege of Oprah Winfrey's, has come to the rescue of the woman we had reported previously battling Volusia County, Florida for the right to keep her 168+ cats.
Dr. Phil pays it forward, helps a nutty cat lady out! © Chris Hatcher / Photorazzi
The talk-show host interviewed Kristy Grant for an upcoming show about people who hoard animals. He reportedly agreed to pay for an animal-rights lawyer to represent Grant in her fight to keep the cats, according to the Associated Press report.
Grant, who is a second-grade teacher, wants permission to turn her home into an animal shelter. But the Volusia County Council rejected her request, citing county rules that limit residential pets to four per household.
Neighbors complained that the animals are attacking squirrels and killing birds in the area. Ironically the same area of Florida had reported a crazy human attacking squirrel that was out of control.
The county ordered her to remove most of the cats by the middle of November.
Grant said producers of Dr. Phil's show flew to Florida last weekend to film her and her cats at her home. Later, they flew her to Los Angeles for a taping of the show.
Local affiliate channel 6 News reported that Grant knows every one of the cats by name.
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