Wildcat problem in Waiouru

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 7, Issue 341, 26 June 1990, Page 8

Wildcat problem in Waiouru

Waiouru's stray cat population has reached chronic proportions according to S.P.C.A. officials.

Long-time S.P.C.A. member and former chairman, Debbie Hill,

is angry at the large numbers of former family pets abandoned by

their owners that find their way into the S.P.C.A's care. Statistics on the number of cats and kittens destroyed are sad and shocking. On aver-

age, two or three cats are put to sleep each week, while the number of kittens varies according to the time of the year. The peak period is the weeks following Christmas, when kittens given as gifts lose their "cute and cuddly" appearance, and their appeal. Owners neglecting to have their female cats speyed are major contributors to the problem of overpopulation. Pregnant queens and newborn kittens are frequently destroyed immediately by the S.P.C.A. as their chances of being placed in a new home are pitifully remote. Other animals are kept for a

short time, on average seven days, in cages in Mrs Hill's back yard. The cost of housing an animal is one consideration that the S.P.C.A. must make when receiving new charges. The organisation receives absolutely no government funding so relies totally on donations, bequeaths and member's subs, which are just a few dollars but may mean the difference between life and death for an animal being kept by the S.P.C.A.. With this in mind, a large percentage of members' time is spent involved in fund-raising activities. Mrs Hill and other members are keen to see stiffer penalties

imposed on pet owners found guilty of cruelty to animals. The maximum fine for abandoning an animal is $2000 or a three month prison term, but S.P.C.A. officials say penalties should be much harsher. Popular dumping spots within Waiouru include 'Pleuracy Point' at the northern end of town; behind the community centre and school and at the end of Andrew's Drive. Policing the community and enforcing the law is however an impossibility for Waiouru's over-worked and depleted S.P.C.A. committee. Mrs Hill said many family pets are left behind when families transfer to

other camps, because owners can't be bothered trying to locate their animal. Cats are notorious for "disappearing" shortly before a scheduled trip or move. A common occurrence is one where an animal has taken up temporary residence at a neighbour's where it is fed until the new owner decides they don't want it around. By this time its real owner has shifted house or transferred and the animal joins the ranks of stray s. Cat owners, upon losing their pet should first scour their immediate neighbourhood then, if unlucky, contact the S.P.C.A.