In a radical effort to protect native wildlife, New Zealand authorities are proposing something unprecedented in our modern society: banning pet cats! Specifically, in the small coastal village of Omaui a proposal is in the works requiring current cat owners to neuter, microchip and register their pets with the local authority and according to the Environment Southland’s “pest plan”, cat owners would not be allowed to get another cat when their current cat(s) pass away!
This aggressive move comes in a dire effort from local authorities to protect 230 hectares of lowland and forest on Omauri. The area is home to quite a few native birds from small ones like the brown creeper, grey warbler, the fantail, and shining cuckoo kingfisher as well as larger birds like the tui! Local residents are outraged and have accused the local authority of acting as a "police state."
Despite the argument from cat lovers in the area, local experts are very serious about the proposal.
I can understand TNR, mandatory spay and neuter, and even euthanizing very sick cats. But, to ban pet cats is utterly ridiculous. Automobiles kill birds, reptiles, and insects. Are you doing to ban those too. Just ban people. Irresponsible people are the real issue.
Justice for cats
Cats do not deserve this
Couldn’t this ultimately result in more cats without homes on the street preying on native wildlife? It seems like a bad long term move personally. A lot of cats are going to end up as strays and unless they’re spayed or neutered they’re going to breed.
are they out of their mind, I wish them a lot of mice etc. and lets see what they doing than, what a stupid thing to even consider…..
Are these people completely insane or have they been indulging in the local wacky tobaccy? Who do they think they are to tell people what pet they can or can’t have? To me the real “menace” is the council members themselves!
Cats are just as lovable as dogs !!! This is Outrageous!!!! 😢😡
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Lisa Chestnutt
October 02, 2018
I can understand TNR, mandatory spay and neuter, and even euthanizing very sick cats. But, to ban pet cats is utterly ridiculous. Automobiles kill birds, reptiles, and insects. Are you doing to ban those too. Just ban people. Irresponsible people are the real issue.