A Feral Cat-Hunting Contest for Kids in New Zealand Is Scrapped After a Backlash

NPR ^

[nickcarraway]

Organizers of a New Zealand hunting contest are pawing their way out of controversy after canceling an event that would have seen children 14 and under compete to kill the most feral cats.

The North Canterbury Hunting Competition is open to both kids and adults, and aims to manage invasive species and raise money for local causes — specifically, a school and pool in the rural village of Rotherham.

Last year, more than 250 children killed 427 animals, mostly possums, hares and rabbits, according to The Guardian.

Organizers added a new category this year, announcing in a since-deleted Friday Facebook post that whoever could kill the most feral cats between mid-April and late June would win the equivalent of $155. And they warned that anyone who produced a microchipped cat — meaning one that belonged to someone — would have their entire entry disqualified.

That prompted an immediate outcry from animal rights groups like SAFE, who pointed out that feral cats don't necessarily look different from strays and pets. Worried that house cats would suffer, they called on organizers to cancel the category.

"Disqualifying dead cats with microchips is too little too late," said SAFE spokesperson Will Appelbe. "It's not even an ambulance, but a grave at the bottom of the cliff."

The competition changed course on Tuesday.

"Our sponsors and school safety are our main priority, so the decision has been made to withdraw this category for this year to avoid further backlash at this time," organizers wrote on Facebook. "We are disappointed and apologise for those who were excited to be involved in something that is about protecting [our] native birds, and other vulnerable species."

That post received a mix of supportive and disapproving reactions, with some reiterating the threat that feral cats pose and others arguing there are better ways to respond to it.

The contest didn't actually break any laws, as the Canterbury chapter of the New Zealand SPCA noted on Facebook, adding that it was still "extremely concerned." Event organizers stressed that all hunters are required to abide by the country's firearm and animal welfare acts.

They added that the school and others involved had gotten "vile & inappropriate emails and messages," and stressed that the hunting competition is run independently by volunteers and for an important cause.

"This fundraising effort is critical in aiding the local school to employ a board funded third teacher and gives our local community and kids greater opportunities," organizers wrote.

The rest of the categories will continue as planned the weekend of June 23.

Feral cats are wreaking havoc on wildlife There's no question that feral cats are harmful to New Zealand's native species.

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New Zealand's Department of Conservation says feral cats — defined as those that live in the wild and have none of their needs provided for by humans — are widespread throughout the country.

There could be as many as 2.5 million, which is about double the number of domestic cats in the country, according to conservation organization Forest & Bird. A pest controller told the news outlet Stuff last year that feral cats were at "plague" levels in Canterbury.

New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern takes on a new role after leaving politics this week MAIN CHARACTER OF THE DAY New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern takes on a new role after leaving politics this week Feral cats can grow larger than house cats in the right conditions but don't tend to live as long. They're similar in appearance to typical tabby, tortoiseshell and black house cats, authorities add.

Their diet depends on their habitat, and they can live anywhere from coastal areas and sub-alpine environments to forests, farmland and islands. They feed on rabbits, birds and bird eggs, rats, hares, bats, lizards, mice and other insects, which officials say has a "major impact."

For instance, feral cats have reduced Grand and Otago skink populations to critically low levels in the Central Otago district and decimated populations of endangered kakī/black stilt, wrybill and black-fronted terns in the central South Island.

The Killer At Home: House Cats Have More Impact On Local Wildlife Than Wild Predators SCIENCE The Killer At Home: House Cats Have More Impact On Local Wildlife Than Wild Predators Helen Blackie, a biosecurity consultant who studied feral cats for two decades, told Radio New Zealand that they were responsible for killing up to 100 million birds across the country every year. Feral cats also carry toxoplasmosis, a common cause of contagious abortion in sheep.

"Historically, we know that feral cats were responsible for the extinction of six bird species and are leading agents of decline in populations of birds, bats, frogs and lizards," Blackie said.

The question is, what should be done about it?

Animal rights groups want to see them handled humanely The hunting category controversy has highlighted the debate over how best to handle pest control in New Zealand.

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The SPCA was one of the groups that opposed the event, saying there was a good chance someone's pet could be killed.

It noted that children often use air rifles in these events, which increases the likelihood of an animal's suffering and prolonged death.

In Florida, an invasive snail is helping save an endangered bird NATIONAL In Florida, an invasive snail is helping save an endangered bird "SPCA advocates that, instead of organised killing events, education around humane and compassionate practices can better prepare young people to appreciate and protect the biological heritage of New Zealand," the organization said.

Without a national effort to reduce the feral cat population, regional councils can only introduce piecemeal local measures and the Conservation Department can act only on public conservation land, according to charitable trust Predator Free New Zealand.

New Zealand does have "Predator Free 2050," a federal plan to eliminate its most pressing predators: rats, stoats and possums. There are calls for cats to be added to that plan, a politically contentious issue.

Call The Pied Piper: New Zealand Wants To Get Rid Of Its Rats. All Of Them THE TWO-WAY Call The Pied Piper: New Zealand Wants To Get Rid Of Its Rats. All Of Them Some advocates, including Forest & Bird, are calling on the government to establish a national Cat Management Act for owners that would, among other things, make desexing and microchipping mandatory and institute a limit of three cats per household.

Appelbe, the SAFE spokesperson, tweeted that cat management strategies that "actually work" include "trap, neuter, release," "mandatory microchip, registering, desexing" and adopting instead of shopping for pets.

He added that there are other ways to raise money for the Rotherham school and pool, "and sending children off to kill cats shouldn't be one of them."

[Tijeras_Slim]

They’re destructive of the native life.

[dljordan]

They say they make great pets.

[MeganC]

“I think we can see the difference between the city folk and the country folk here on this thread.”

Yup.

They’re tweaking about kitties getting shot and they might not want to know what I do with the Golden Retrievers who chase our stock.

When we had bison we’d occasionally find a meat waffle on the ranch that had been one of these stupid dogs that thought it was great fun to chase cattle but mistook bison for cattle.

One of the scariest things I’ve ever seen was a 2800 pound bison bull pogo jumping on an unidentifiable dog. And then it looked at me in my pickup truck and I got out of there!

The dogs I shot were the lucky ones.

[ConservativeMind]

Deer are native to the country.

[Hot Tabasco]

In case you haven't been paying attention, feral cats have become an invasive species in Australia and they need to be eradicated by any means necessary.

Your bleeding heart humanitarian arguments are typical of the leftist couch potatoes sitting here in the United States who have no idea of the realities of life in Australia and their current battles against feral cats, wild dogs and the infestation of cane toads..........

Educate yourself before you post your bleeding heart nonsense........Sheesh!

[DoodleBob]

Skinner: Well, I was wrong. The lizards are a godsend.
Lisa: But isn't that a bit short-sighted? What happens when we're overrun by lizards?
Skinner: No problem. We simply release wave after wave of Chinese needle snakes. They'll wipe out the lizards.
Lisa: But aren't the snakes even worse?
Skinner: Yes, but we're prepared for that. We've lined up a fabulous type of gorilla that thrives on snake meat.
Lisa: But then we're stuck with gorillas!
Skinner: No, that's the beautiful part. When wintertime rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death.

[CTrent1564]

No rats are rodents and are problematic for humans.

Cats and Dogs were domesticated by humans thousand of years ago and are no threats to humans.

[CTrent1564]

Ok, then whey doesn’t the government launch a spay and neuter campaign. Turning kids loose to hunt them can go wrong. What if some kid goes into somebodies yard with a weapon and goes after somebody’s pet cat and that pet owner turns around not knowing what the hell is going on and uses the weapon on the kid.

The Government of Australia if it is serious can use funds to pay animal control groups to capture feral cats take them to a vet and spay and neuter them. The Population can be brought under control that way.

[CTrent1564]

I never said they were not, what I said is that they have never been domesticated. They are wild game, they do carry diseases that threaten human health and all States with major deer populations have set hunting seasons to manage the population. At least, where I live and surrounding states do.

[NorthMountain]

Pet possum?

Uhhhh ... no. I don’t like ‘em that much ...

[threefinger]

Feral housecats need to be exterminated anywhere they exist because they are a manufactured breed, not native to anywhere on the planet, and therefore an invasive species wherever they exist.

They wreak havoc on native wildlife anywhere and everywhere they’re found. There’s no rational reason to try to conserve them because they’re not occupying a unique niche in the ecosystem, plus we made those and can make plenty more of the same.

[Scrambler Bob]

Ad hominem tangential argument that shows a low IQ and inability to discuss civilly the question at hand.
= = =

I guess you mean me.

OKaaa (may be mispellled).

[CTrent1564]

100% correct. We agree. I meant you. Your LGBT remark is what I was referring to, so lets be clear why I said that. Tangential to the issue at hand. The kind of debate tactics use by secular left wing types that I see so much today.

[NorthMountain]

I remember being told at a very young age, something like: “See that cow all alone in that pasture? That’s not a cow. He’s a bull. Stay out of his pasture. He doesn’t like people, and you can’t run fast enough ...”

[Scrambler Bob]

100% correct. We agree. I meant you. Your LGBT remark is what I was referring to, so lets be clear why I said that. Tangential to the issue at hand.
= = =

Actually, my LGBT remark is exactly on target.

We are going to cut off some feral’s testicles and return him to (cat) society to be productive.

This is what the trans movement is trying to do, to humans, the most vulnerable ones.

Has not been working out. Govt. approach = cut off testicles to solve problems.

If rodents and wild pigs are problems that deserve to be eliminated, why not feral cats?

[Hot Tabasco]

Feral cats in Australia are an immense problem, you obviously haven’t been paying attention........Educate yourself, read the articles.....

[Hot Tabasco]

Ok, then whey doesn’t the government launch a spay and neuter campaign. Turning kids loose to hunt them can go wrong.

Your comments are becoming more ignorant as you go on.

These aren't neighborhood cats, these are feral, wilderness cats whose numbers are decimating the native wildlife.

Just like US coyotes, you don't trap and neuter them, you shoot them and kill them..........

Why is it so hard for you to understand that?

[Hot Tabasco]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaB9J8JHVxI

[dljordan]

:) I’d try it.

[doorgunner69]

i am all for killing feral humans