The Australian government is waging war on cats, and Alley Cat Allies strongly condemns their actions. As the leading cat experts, we’re reaching out to Australians to help educate the public and save their cats.
In July 2015, Minister of the Environment Greg Hunt declared open season when he unveiled his plan to kill two million feral cats by 2020. The plan is part of the government’s “Threatened Species Strategy”, which aims to protect Australia’s endangered native species by destroying feral cat populations.
In this misguided attempt to save wildlife, Minister Hunt condones the shooting, poisoning, and lethal trapping of cats, and disregards proven humane methods like Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). In the process of scapegoating cats, he ignores the true threat to Australia’s wildlife: environmental destruction by humans.
Minister Hunt’s plan isn’t just cruel and unethicalit’s unworkable and ineffective. Cats will suffer and die needlessly, because entire populations cannot be eliminated through killing. For decades there have been attempts to wipe out cats. None have been effective. Surviving cats reproduce too quickly and fill the void, a phenomenon known as the vacuum effect.
The Threatened Species Strategy will not get rid of cats and will not protect wildlife. The Ministry of the Environment must go back to the drawing board and focus on nonlethal solutions.
Alley Cat Allies is stepping up to help.
For over 25 years, Alley Cat Allies has led the movement to protect cats globally. Now we’re bringing our guidance and support to advocates in Australia.
In February, Alley Cat Allies president and founder Becky Robinson traveled across Australia for two weeks of productive meetings to advocate against Minister Hunt’s plan. She met with coalitions working against the plan in Sydney and Melbourne, and with scientists that explained that habitat destructionnot catshas caused extinctions of species and endangers many more. She also spoke with caregivers, grassroots activists, shelter operators, academic instructors, and government leaders about saving cats’ lives, and the proven success of nonlethal population control methods.
Becky was a key presenter at the Helen Woodward Animal Center’s The Business of Saving Lives conference, hosted by Maggie’s Rescue of Australia. During the three-day conference, Becky spoke about nonlethal methods like Trap-Neuter-Return, and the faults in the cat killing plan.
As the cats’ leading advocate, we will remain involved in Australia and build connections with Australian advocates. Alley Cat Allies pledges to support the humane treatment of Australia’s cats. We’re calling upon individuals and organizationsin Australia and around the worldto stand with us.
Pledge to protect Australia’s cats.
We have launched a pledge that calls on Australia’s Ministry of the Environment to end its plan to kill two million cats and instead develop nonlethal strategies for protecting animals. Visit www.alleycat.org/Australia to sign the pledge today.