Today. a new hero has emerged, just when Australia’s feral cats needed one the most.
This up-and-coming hero’s name is Ben Pennings who is Greens Lord Mayoral Candidate and he has a concrete plan to cut down on the future numbers of feral cats living in the wild.
Mr. Ben Pennings says he is willing to spend $6.5 million over two years to desex 40,000 cats.
He said the mobile desexing service would sharply reduce the size of Brisbane’s feral cat colonies and save native wildlife.
“Unwanted cats pose a significant threat to Brisbane’s wildlife,” he said.
Up to 20,000 Brisbane cats each year would be desexed completely free of charge under a $6.5 million Greens council election commitment announced on Thursday.
The Greens say their plan to desex 20,000 cats a year in Brisbane would cut down the region’s feral populations.
The Greens say their plan to desex 20,000 cats a year in Brisbane would cut down the region’s feral populations.
“Kittens are dumped, leading to feral cat colonies in Brisbane’s suburbs and millions of native animal deaths each week.”
“Feral cats mate with domestic cats, compounding the problem.”
“Let’s give our native species a fighting chance.”
Mr Pennings said that under the Greens’ Stopping Ferals Saving Wildlife commitment, 20,000 cats would be desexed every year.
The plan would cost ratepayers $6.5 million over the course of the first two years, but Mr Pennings said the council would save money over time.
“Unspayed cats can have up to 12 kittens a year,” he said.
“Every cat desexed will reduce council costs in feral cat control and maintaining animal shelters.”
“Desexed cats are less likely to roam, saving even more council resources.”
Under this program, cat owners would also receive $25 worth of cat food and cat litter.”
RSPCA Queensland spokesman Michael Beatty said, on the face of it, the Greens’ policy appeared sound.
“Anything that would help more cats being desexed would have to be a good thing, because that would certainly, over time, ease the strain not just on Brisbane City Council pounds but our resources as well,” he said.
Mr Beatty said he hoped the two parties with a realistic chance of controlling City Hall – the LNP and Labor – would also include animal welfare within their election manifestos. w
“We’d certainly like animal welfare in general to be on the agenda for both major parties,” he said.
Photo credit: Michelle Smith