Global Courant 2023-04-19 14:39:01
Fast News
The annual hunting competition has caused uproar after organizers opened a new category for children under 14 to hunt wild cats.
According to the Department of Conservation, feral cats are a pest in New Zealand where they have a major impact on native birds, bats, lizards, mice and insects. (Reuters Archive)
A competition for children to hunt and kill feral cats in New Zealand was canceled amid public backlash after a major animal welfare group welcomed the decision.
The organizers of an annual hunting contest caused a stir when they announced a new category for children under 14 to hunt feral cats for a grand prize of NZ$250 ($155).
Organizers said on Tuesday that the category, which warned young people not to kill pets, was cancelled.
The New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said it was “both satisfied and relieved that the category of juveniles that includes shooting wild cats has been removed”.
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“Children as well as adults will not be able to tell the difference between a wild, stray or scared domestic cat,” an SPCA spokesperson said.
Continuing with other categories for wild boar and deer hunting, the general competition is run by the Rotherham School on the country’s South Island as a fundraising event.
Organizers said “vile and inappropriate emails” were sent to “the school and other interested persons”.
“Our sponsors and school safety are our top priority, so the decision was made to withdraw this category this year to prevent further backlash,” the organizers wrote on Facebook.
According to the Department of Conservation, feral cats are a pest in New Zealand where they have a major impact on native birds, bats, lizards, mice and insects.
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Source: AFP
