The city of North Canterbury holds an annual hunting event that offers prize money for the most animals killed within several categories of species, including "feral" cats. The cats are caught in traps and then executed with a rifle. Although children were not allowed to participate in last year's hunt in response to public outrage, they were allowed to participate this year. Also this year, more cats - nearly 400 - were killed during the event than had been any previous year.
Despite continued protests from New Zealanders and animal welfare organizations around the world, event organizer, Matt Bailey remains indifferent to the moral and scientific arguments against the killing, and shockingly callous in his perception of the cats. An article in The Guardian quotes Bailey as saying "When [ferals] are caged, it's pretty obvious – they are like the devil on methamphetamine, they will try to attack you."
Please sign this petition urging New Zealand's ambassador to the US, Rosemary Banks, to create a pathway to ending this competition.
