In New Zealand children of all ages are encouraged to catch and shoot cats, with cash prizes for the most cats killed.( Graphic photos )

 

Introduced to the island nation by early settlers and left to breed unchecked, New Zealand is home to millions of homeless cats. Forced to survive on their own, these innocent animals hunt native species – a human-caused situation that the hunters are using as an excuse for their bloodsports. 

Credit: Facebook/North Canterbury Hunting

But the strawman of conservation quickly falls apart at the annual weigh-in, where hunters bring hundreds of animal corpses to try and claim the prizes. Here, hunters taunt animal rights protesters with dead cats and ferrets, dress up in outfits mocking local welfare movements, and drag dead animals through obstacle courses for ‘fun.’ 

Last year, facing international backlash, the hunt’s organizers restricted the cat-hunting category to those aged 14 and older. This year, the age restriction has been removed – now, if a child can hold a gun, the hunters will let them shoot cats.

Credit: Facebook/North Canterbury Hunting

Killing cats does nothing to protect local species. This is nothing more than a celebration of suffering and death.

The real tragedy is that the hunt won’t fix anything. As has been proven time and time again, killing cats simply creates a vacuum effect: More cats move in, taking advantage of the available resources and breeding indiscriminately, and the cycle of cruelty continues year after year.

There is a better way to protect both cats and native wildlife – and it works.

We’re fighting to end this horrific hunt by supporting humane, effective alternatives like Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) and rescue programs run by local heroes like our partner, Cat Rescue Christchurch.

But in a nation where even the government is slaughtering cats by the thousands, we need all the help we can get to save innocent animal lives.

There is a better way to protect both cats and native wildlife – and it works.

We’re fighting to end this horrific hunt by supporting humane, effective alternatives like Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) and rescue programs run by local heroes like our partner, Cat Rescue Christchurch. https://catrescue.org.nz/stray-cat-assistance/faq-2/

But in a nation where even the government is slaughtering cats by the thousands, we need all the help we can get to save innocent animal lives.