New Zealand council proposes banning all cats in “pest plan”

New Zealand is not somewhere you want to go as a cat person

A local council in New Zealand has proposed banning all domesticated cats as part of a "pest plan" to protect native species. An environment agency in Southland wants to force cat owners to neuter and microchip their felines, as well as registering them with local authorities. When their pets pass away they will not be able to get new ones. The move is aimed at protecting native bush and nature reserves around the small village of Omaui. Native birds such as tui, kakariki, kereru (wood pigeons), piwakawaka (fantails) and tomtits, are among  those it is claimed are harmed by living in proximity to domesticated cats. Omaui Landcare Trust leader John Collins is among those in favour of the scheme. He told NewsHub: "We're not cat haters, but we'd like to see responsible pet ownership. And this really isn't the place for cats." Biosecurity operations manager Ali Meade told Newshub that: "There's cats getting into the native bush; they're preying on native birds, they're taking insects, they're taking reptiles - all sorts of things. They're doing quite a bit of damage."