So along comes dogs, dingo’s, and carrion to eat the dead poisoned cat’s remains then get poisoned and die a horrible death as well. Sounds like the Aussies took the easiest but not best path to thin the cat population. Cats will multiply fast. Too fast. One litter can become 11 million cats in just 9 years so it’s a very real problem.
In Arizona there is a no limit, no license needed, open season all year on coyote because they go after small livestock. They will also eat small dogs and cats when they can get them. They can easily jump a 5’ fence. I have mixed feelings about this but I wouldn’t want to change anything. It’s well understood ranchers can shoot to kill any wild dog they see on their lands too. I think feral dogs do more damage to cows, sheep, and goats than the coyote because they are not bred to survive in the wild anymore so they go after whatever is in front of them and they do it in packs.
Tough situation and we have one species to blame for all of it. Humans. People dump their unwanted dogs out in the country rather than take them to a no-kill shelter to be re-homed. Coyote will go after chickens and small livestock but they won’t chew the noses and ears off cows like feral dogs will unless they are a last resort.
Not to disagree, but all but 1 time we have tried to get a stray dog or cat to a shelter, we’d call around (there are several shelters local to us), and the shelters around here were all full. Even in that 1 case, it was only after we explained the bad situation with a stray @ my elderly Mom’s house that anyone would take it (the stray cat getting in her garage and tearing things up).
A stray dog here we posted a sign for at several local farm supply stores, too, and it took weeks to give him away. There really is a large glut of these animals. :-(