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SPCA rejects Morgan's 'sick' cat plan

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SPCA rejects 'sick' cat plan

3News NZ

SPCA boss Bob Kerridge

SPCA boss Bob Kerridge

Economist Gareth Morgan is offering to pay the SPCA $5 for every unwanted cat that it puts down as the fur flies in his war on feral cats.

Mr Morgan, who has launched a campaign to stop feral cats predating native birds, told TV3's Campbell Live on Wednesday he would give $5 to the SPCA for every unwanted cat they euthanised.

He said he was responding to a newspaper article by SPCA national president Bob Kerridge to put his money where his mouth was.

"I'll do that Bob, I'll do that as long as you stop being the society to protect cats and start becoming the SPCA as we all think you are.

"If you don't do it then I suggest that New Zealanders stop giving money to the SPCA because it's not what you think it is. It's nothing to do with cruelty, it's all about protecting cats. They have been taken over."

Mr Morgan said the SPCA was single-handedly destroying native species by releasing cats into the wild.

But Mr Kerridge rejected as "Morgan myths" the claims the SPCA had been taken over by cat people and that cats were released into the wild.

Trapping, neutering and releasing was an internationally accepted way of dealing with strays, he told NZ Newswire.

De-sexed cats were released into urban colonies, well away from native bush, and were cared and accounted for. Their diets were similar to domestic cats and most didn't need to hunt birds, he said.

"The SPCA has always been for all animals ... including birds, we are certainly not species-specific."

Mr Kerridge said Mr Morgan would not be taken up on his $5 offer.

"We are not in the business of euthanasing animals. I think it's a rather sick joke."

NZN

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Comments

5/02/2013 7:31:13 p.m.

Tom Kat wrote:

LOL...Bob saying they are no a species specific society...Bob said on tv that if you've got a feral cat call the dept of conservation!! He is not species specific, he is all about domestic cats, thast it...end of...nothing else. Not species specific, just super selective species specific. Society for Protecting Cats, that is All

2/02/2013 6:49:36 p.m.

Stu wrote:

SPCA won't get a penny out of me now. They should treat cats like they treat other animals. Every heard of a rat or rabbit colony? They get the needle as do dogs that don't find a home. Cat owners should be made to be responsible and keep their cats on their property. If they stray they should be treated like dogs, pounded and the owner fined. Cat owners should be made to pay for a licence like dog owners. We use to have NZ birds and lizards around the house, it was great, until neighbours got cats. We have none now and there was nothing we could do about it. Gareth has it right.

2/02/2013 1:09:38 p.m.

Bob wrote:

In the old days I could not believe a SPCA would kill healthy cats. It is like having a legal defence team that likes to kill it's clients. TNR seems sound, obviously you catch them in the places the native animals are and release them where they are not. Cat is very unlikely to wander from the new food source to get back to the birds. You cannot seriously suggest removing pests from a whole country nowadays, we have enough trouble removing them from tiny islands.

2/02/2013 8:41:54 a.m.

Kim wrote:

Cats in colonies are NOT wild, they are abandoned, dumped domestic stray cats, who are desexed by SPCA who are fed and cared for by kind volunteers. Shame on humans for dumping their cats in parks and leaving them to their own devices...

1/02/2013 3:53:35 p.m.

Victor wrote:

Gareth Morgan is showing himself to be incredibly ignorant about the subject on which he's chosen to pontificate. The SPCA releases neutered strays back into urban cat colonies. It does not release feral cats into the wild. It's barely believable that a few weeks into the controversy and Dr Morgan still doesn't understand the difference between urban strays and ferals! Morgan also seems to think that New Zealanders don't understand what the SPCA stands for. Most of us do, however, know that the Society cares fights against cruelty to all animals, irrespective of whether they are New Zealand natives or members of imported species. That's why we support it! He talks about tourists being attracted to New Zealand by our native wildlife. Does he really think people will want to come to a country of cat killers?

31/01/2013 11:34:47 p.m.

Nick wrote:

Mr Kerridge is correct in saying TNR is an internationally recognised and scientifically proven way to humanely reduce ferral cat numbers. For the ill informed out there do some research in stead of taking the word of a loud mouth know it all like Gareth Morgan. He has provided no scientific proof at all to support his claims, rather ranted and raved like the ignoramus he is. The SPCA's brief by the way is not to be a protector of native birds, but infact to care for all animals who are in need.They do a fantastic job and where possible give all animals a fair chance.

31/01/2013 9:54:07 p.m.

Liz wrote:

Are you all idiots. The cats that are in colinies are NOT FERAL! They are stray cats. The Bloody humans put then there!

31/01/2013 7:33:50 p.m.

Angela wrote:

This makes me so wild. Human beings are the biggest preditors out there. Destroying nature every day. Good on you Mr Kerridge for standing up to Gareth Morgan. He makes me sick. I will continue to support SPCA. They are legends. We would be lost without them.

31/01/2013 4:15:09 p.m.

Sam wrote:

What on earth is the SPCA doing releasing cats, are you guys mad? I am never going to donate again after that. In terms of your other comments, Bob you continue to make comments based on emotional dribble. Get your actual facts sorted before you open your mouth. The science is on the side of Gareth, even though his views are slightly extreme. We should use this debate to make good decisions for the future about registration and chipping of cats to help our wildlife and use this chance to change legislation.

31/01/2013 2:23:51 p.m.

kladsl wrote:

How unbelievably irresponsible the SPCA is by releasing cats into the wild. I did not know they were doing this and will now get no support from me while this continues. It is well known that cats kill the wild life and in particular 'wild cats'. Shame on you