Bo-Jangles

Anyone with bored kids, looking for something to do during the rest of the school holiday?

School fundraiser: Feral cat hunting competition open to all under 14 years of age.

Far out!

Moses2013

Here also the RNZ article. Just shocking and as a cat owner I'd better not say what should be done to some of these humans.
Of course it's easy to blame the animals....................
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/...oot-feral-cats

Justcol

That's pretty disgusting, but sadly a fairly good reflection of the attitude of rural NZ.

I have 2 cats, both were feral and were caught by me. They are now no different to any other house cat.

where I work has an ongoing issue with feral, stray and dumped cats. It's a rural setting with lots of farmland and forestry around it. Myself and my wife have feeding stations dotted around the site to ensure they are looked after. we have cage traps to catch them, and so far we have rescued around 30 cats and kittens. Most are taken to cat rescue Dunedin but we usually pass any kittens onto friends or colleagues on the understanding they must be fixed as we can't afford to get them all done ourselves.

​​​​​I just don't understand kiwis urge to kill everything. They say they want to protect native birds but the govt is now pushing for a massive growth in Forrestry plantations which will provide a perfect habitat for cats, rats and possum.

Bo-Jangles

Sounds like you are doing an amazing job Col, we have one such kitty that was rescued. The Auckland volunteer rescues, of which there are many, seem to be fighting a losing battle and all overwhelmed with kittens during the summer breeding months and there's a lot of folks who do colony feeding, as well as trapping and neutering to try and break the cycle. Many of the cats they pick up are friendly and clearly have had homes at some time in the past. Really there needs to be better education and programmes and assistance if needed for folks to get their cats fixed in the first instance.

Chocolate eclair

Now I'm not a cat person, I'm a Syrian Hamster person but this is abhorrent. I shouldn't be surprised. As you say Col, Kiwis seem to have this urge to kill everything. Good on you for doing your bit.

Kija

I'm rural and all my 4 surrounding neighbours are constantly shooting at anything that gets on their land. It's very traumatic to me as an animal lover. That and the deliberate running over of perceived pests.

LittleGreyCat

I liked the bit where, when asked about family pets, they said they would check the corpses to see if they'd been chipped.

Cancelled now, I understand.

brits1

This was mentioned last week here in the UK on a radio programme I was listening to, I thought it was a joke at first but they had a lady on from New Zealand who said it was true and only happening in rural areas of New Zealand where the cats could only be feral as homes were so far away from each other and that they had to do this as they endangered indigenous animals, fair point but surely there is a “better” way to solve this problem I think the other awful thought was exposing young children to this type of violence

Justcol

NZ has vet little indigenous wildlife.
It only had birds and lizards, everything else has been introduced.

In rural areas kids on farms have pet lambs that they'll kill when they get old enough.
Farmers talk about caring for animals but it only goes as far as keeping them disease from to ensure the best price at the sale yard. Cows have calf's to ensure they continue to produce milk, the calves are taken from the cows after a few weeks.

Kiwis will drive over anything they see on the road. Cats possums, hawks and kestrels, ducks, rabbits. They're all fair game and some will serve to make sure they get them.

Bo-Jangles

I think they failed to read the room, despite all the backlash, it's still going ahead but now doesn't have a children's category.

Controversial hunting competition returns this weekend

BEVS

Yup. Quite some determination isn't there. Pretty disgusting really. Dogs are more prone to killing penguins and kiwi etc but I don't hear any shouts to cull off the leash pooches.

It is selective targeting isn't it. Hunt a cat but don't 100% remove mammals that degradate the very native environments that indigenous species require to survive. No no no . Far too silly . Would not want that as those are a lucrative business and market. Tell ya what ! Lets drop 1080 all over the designated hunt land - sorted ! Oh wait.....