Cats To Go!: New Zealand Man Calls For Pet Cats To Be Eradicated
Auckland, New Zealand – A New Zealand man has launched a campaign to wipe out domestic cats in the Pacific nation.
Economist Gareth Morgan wants to rid New Zealand of all pet moggies – even the cute, ickle ones like the fellow above – to protect the country’s native wildlife.
Dr. Morgan has set up a website to support his drive for a “pest-free New Zealand”. On Cats to Go!, he describes cats as “sadists”, adding:
“That little ball of fluff you own is a natural born killer. Every year cats in New Zealand destroy our native wildlife. The fact is that cats have to go if we really care about our environment.”
Morgan has proposed that New Zealanders should make the cat they currently own the last one until the island nation is devoid of killer kitties.
New Zealand is an ornithologist’s dream, renowned for its outstanding array of native birds. In trying to protect the country’s native wildlife, Morgan suggests that owners should keep their pets indoors 24 hours a day, fit them with a bell, and avoid replacing them when they head to kitty heaven. He writes:
“While there are many issues to address, getting one step closer to being a pest-free New Zealand would most certainly be a step in the right direction.”
However, it’s fair to say most Kiwis are not supportive of Morgan’s suggestions. Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) chief executive Bob Kerridge argues that stopping people from owning cats would undermine civil rights:
“People consider cats to be a member of the family. So he’s trying to, quite frankly, take away the civil liberties we all have to choose who we want in our home.”
Kerridge concluded that Morgan’s argument was “a bit radical, over the top and completely wrong”.
Such opposition hasn’t deterred the economist’s enthusiasm for his cause. Indeed, while not many would agree with his views, there is little doubt that cats can be cold-blooded killers.
What do you make of Morgan’s suggestion for phasing out pet cats?
