Non-profit stops efforts to control feral cats
(CNS): The Department of Environment’s feral cat control project has been stalled again by local animal rights charity Feline Friends as the Grand Court has granted a stay on the rollout of the National Conservation (Alien Species) Regulations. The non-profit organisation has run both a feeding and a trap-neuter-release programme on Grand Cayman for feral cats for over a decade but the new regulations prohibit both.
Represented by local attorney Sammy Jackson, the NPO has also been given the green light for a judicial review of the regulations that were drawn up to protect unique native species, such as indigenous iguanas and nesting sea birds, from feral cats that are killing them in significant numbers.
According to the legal challenge, the non-profit is arguing that the new rules exceed the scope of the National Conservation Act (NCA) as they go beyond the legislation, creating definitions that alter its intent and allowing people to humanly kill feral cats that pose a threat to nature. They also suggest the rules give the DoE director too much power, that the sanctions are disproportionately harsh, and that there was not enough consultation.
“It was unreasonable to authorize private persons to kill an animal they believe to be a feral alien species or genetically altered species under stated provisions of the Regulations,” Feline Friends state in their application for the judicial review.
“Neither the Cabinet nor the National Conservation Council was in possession of necessary independent scientific information/data to make a reasonable determination as to the need for and/or effect of the regulations,” it stated, adding that Cabinet had failed to take into consideration the views of the public.
The NPO also contends that the regulations are unconstitutional as they “threaten the unlawful interference with personal property rights”, such as having or feeding an animal at one’s own home.
On 4 April, Justice Marlene Carter, who granted the stay preventing the implementation of the regulations and allowing the judicial review application, said there was a case to argue for the relief sought by Feline Friends, which is to secure a declaration that the rules are unconstitutional.
The DoE has been battling animal rights charities and non-profits for years over its efforts to cull feral cats, which are known to be responsible for a significant decline in bird numbers, including local parrots and nesting sea birds. The department has also tried to discourage people from feeding stray cats.
Feral cats remain one of the main threats to indigenous blue and rock iguana hatchlings and other local reptiles, all of which are endangered species. This latest legal action will hinder efforts by the DoE to fulfil its key remit to protect Cayman’s endemic and native fauna.
PETA, one of the world’s leading animal rights advocacy groups, does not support the trap-neuter-release (TNR) programmes that Feline Friends is advocating as an alternative to culls. PETA states that release programmes are not in cats’ best interests.
“We have seen firsthand and have received countless reports that cats suffer and die gruesome deaths because they are abandoned to fend for themselves outdoors,” the organisation states on its website. “Having witnessed the painful deaths of countless feral cats, we cannot in good conscience advocate trapping, altering, and releasing as a humane way to deal with overpopulation and homelessness.”
See the Feline Friends application in the CNS Library and below.
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Category: Land Habitat, Science & Nature
Kill the cats. Make their defenders pay 100X the amount it costs in the courts and then throw in a punitive damages claim of $10 million and then, ban all cat defenders protesting the conservation efforts in the courts from holding any type of director position on the island and then cancel the work permits and deport the expats advocating for this crap.
Endangered Caymanian species will live and thrive again.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/moral-cost-of-cats-180960505/
You know where the money comes from for this, right?
There are financial interests who would rather see endangered species eliminated by feral cats, so that the former habitat can be developed.
That’s the only thing this is about.
The next inconvenient native species to go will be the Caymanian.
Why is everybody so angry all the time? It makes it hard to read comments on this story and almost everywhere else.
Don’t tell me “suck it up snowflake”; just trust that you likely wouldn’t choose to express it in person, unless we were already friends.
We have lost our ability to discuss and debate and decide the soundest course for the most of us. Perhaps we feel disinfranchised by our government, who — once in power — do as they wish without our input. Whatever is the problem, it appears to be a global one, and I am seriously disturbed by the way we talk to each other on this and other stories.
If we have to cull feral cats, then fine; let us produce the data which is conclusive, and then agree upon a protocol for humane culling and disposal of the feline caracasses. Let us also study the intrusion of development into indigenous species’ habitat. Neither are inclusive of the other, and both important.
FFS, let us figure this out without all the political jibes and snubs. We get it: There are at least two camps, and they mostly disagree. Can we analyse the data, consult with the public and arrive at a policy which will benefit us all and the indigenous ecology?
Are we really not that good? Or is it that it isn’t very entertaining to actually work on things, as opposed to arguing and insulting others on the internet?
It’s more that the data is already there, but certain parties don’t wish to accept the results. I think the frustration stems from this sense of false morality leading to broadly suboptimal outcomes, or where we still end up doing the right thing eventually, but these delays just worsen the impact unnecessarily.
#boycottfelinefriends
I wish I could like this 1000 times
The law that says we can no longer neuter feral cats is only contributing to the problem. I live in a fairly rural area and from time to time a new cat will appear. We feed it for a few days…then trap it and have it neutered and released back again. This results in fewer feral cats because they cannot breed.
But now with the new law I am no longer allowed to get them neutered and so I can no longer control the numbers of feral cats in my area.
If the intention was to protect the birds and wildlife, I would be interested to hear how this is being achieved by allowing the feral cat population to now increase unchecked because I can’t neuter them any longer. It makes NO sense to me.
BS.
Under the new regulations you could just kill them. That would certainly stop them reproducing.
Skinner: Well, I was wrong. The lizards are a godsend.
Lisa: But isn’t that a bit short-sighted? What happens when we’re overrun by lizards?
Skinner: No problem. We simply unleash wave after wave of Chinese needle snakes. They’ll wipe out the lizards.
Lisa: But aren’t the snakes even worse?
Skinner: Yes, but we’re prepared for that. We’ve lined up a fabulous type of gorilla that thrives on snake meat.
Lisa: But then we’re stuck with gorillas!
Skinner: No, that’s the beautiful part. When wintertime rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death.
Feline friends for the win!
Why worry? Bird flu soon come to kill the birds and animals that eat them.
12:17pm:
Thanks for your kind works.
It gives me more energy to feed more and more feral cats.
It just shows how animals are better than fuc**** nasty humans
Hdb, you are an idiot! If you really believe cats do not harm wildlife, You are worse than an idiot.
Don’t be asinine, sweetheart!
So the lives of an invasive species is more important than the birds and iguanas that are ONLY found on the Sister Islands??? Cull the cats!
Meow
Easy fix. We all catch a feral cat, keep it housed for a couple of days and turn it in to a shelter since its unwanted and difficult. Just sayin
1 feral cats kills about 1000 birds a year
and you got that info from where?
Oh here we go again.
I think it came from the cat cafe.
it’s a fact -look into it. that’s why feral cats suck and hence this article, an attempt to bring a law to it, etc.
Oh, the old ever-popular “everybody knows it, look it up on the internet, because I’m far too lazy to provide a citation” ploy.
Don’t you know that 47.72% of all statistics are made up?
some place with quite an echo.
Just making up stuff.
Alrighty then. Legislate that all pet cats are required to be registered and chipped.
Those cats that aren’t can be considered feral and then culled humanely.
Problem solved.
Animals Law requires all domestic animals to be under control, with a $1500 fine for noncompliance. Another $1500 fine for letting it foul, and $1500 more for attacking other animals – especially protected animals. Dogs and cats are not allowed to be roaming around anywhere on any of the three islands. This isn’t Kansas.
Kill the iguanas, kill the cats. It is really disheartening how animals are treated on the island.
So you’re only worried about iguanas and cats? What about the birds and everything else they kill.
And what did you eat or drink today?
Plant or animal, it doesnt matter, it was alive at some point, but was “killed” to feed you.
NEXXT!!!
We don’t care about those flea bag menaces. Simple.
another private sector entity causing serious issues. what can we say?
While DOE, who was studying the birds for the last 10 years just watched as they died without lifting a finger to stop it and collected a paycheck? At least Feline Friends and the dedicated volunteers on the Brac were spaying the cats so there wouldn’t be any more, all for free.
You might want to proofread your comment. Spaying cats doesn’t mean there won’t be anymore, but guess what? Culling them means that. Thank you for coming to my Ted talk.
Let the cats kill the bird’s?!? These are feral cats killing endemic birds. I vote for the birds
So would anyone else with a normal outlook on life.
Birds arent real
Weren’t we just told that the feral cats were a dire threat to nesting booby birds? Didn’t we just see a photo of dead booby bird adult and chick and weren’t we implored to believe that a feral cat took down both and didn’t even bother to eat them?
I think the various entities need to get their stories straight and then get back to us. Of course, that implies that “we” will be consulted at all, which is laughable. We aren’t consulted about ANYthing. Ever.
I think that indigenous species of Booby Birds, Rock Iguanas and Blue Iguanas should be protected. If there is a conclusive amount of credible data which demonstrates that any species threatens those native species, it should cause discussion, and regulation/legislation which is designed to mitigate the threatening species. … even if those threats are human.
I cohabitate with four formerly feral cats which I have paid to be neutered. Two of them live mostly inside. They are well fed, and don’t range much. If it becomes legal for my neighbours to decide whether these four cats should be killed for the good of the Cayman Islands, then we have a serious problem.
For the most part, I think our neighbours’ kids are far more injurious to our beloved island.
This will go as big money wishes.
As does everything round here.
If you have had cats for a while, you know that cats can and will kill other creatures just because that is what they like to do. It isn’t for food or self defense… THEY KILL BECAUSE THEY LIKE TO KILL! Anyone who has had cats for any length of time knows this!! And yes, It happens around my house.
#feralcatslivesmatter
#WhatsUpPussyCat
Smh the Governments around the world need to stop catering to EVERYONE. Who gives a sh** about those cats? Wayne reminds me of Joe Biden… wouldn’t hurt a fly.
What Would Jesus Do?
Vote Trump apparently.
Please Make America Great Again!!!
The world is in big trouble under the current administration.
The world is in big trouble. There. Fixed it for ya!
He hasn’t done anything yet.
Punt?
Right, the same government who allowed the development of the area where those same booby birds nest? the same government who studied the booby birds and watched the numbers decline but never asked themselves “how can we help”? Meanwhile the volunteers on the Brac spayed and neutered many of the feral cats. Cater to everyone? It’s called “the regulations” and they were rushed through without any regard for the governments own part in the booby bird problem. Just remember that when there is one finger pointed at another, there are 3 pointing back at you.
Feline Friends do not operate on the sister islands, whose rare and endangered indigenous bird populations and ecotourist lifeline are under threat from predatory invasive house cats. Domestic cats that are left outdoors to roam in >100’F heat, do not have worthy human owners, and unfortunately, should be either be rehomed or euthanised. These cats don’t have rights to anything more than that. Neither do dogs for that matter.
If DoE have anything to do with it, then long live the cats. They can’t deal with the dogs and chickens.
The decrease in native bird life on these islands is staggering. Feline friends? feline f*ckwits more like.
The birds are gone because there’s no fish left here. I still think we should shoot the cats tho.
And you so sure that it’s the cats? where are the lands and trees that the birds would live in? Gone because of humans. The cat population is growing because of humans. The cats are not the number one f*ckwits on these islands
Yes, it IS the cats! They will kill small creatures even when they are not hungry…….. then walk away.
Whatever. I am not going to stop feeding “feral” cats that show up starving at my kitchen door. If they stick around, they get trapped and neutered. The new law says all this is a crime. I’ll take my chances and REALLY don’t care what PETA thinks.
You are part, continuation and worsening of the problem.
I beg to disagree.
I don’t think feral cats in Cayman have risk of starving
Depends on which place they live.
Grow up! They live where food comes easy. If you stopped feeding then, they’d move on.
Not the only place they live, old person.
There goes another load of native birds and iguanas. Great work Feline Friends! I hope everyone with half a brain immediately stops supporting them, financially and otherwise.
Native birds and iguanas can kiss my cat-loving a$$.
It isn’t very Christian like to push for killing.
That’s exactly why the cat predators draw the short straw. You’re on the wrong team.
All religion ever does is cause killing, human or animal, so I’d say it was bang on brand.
There’s no reason for these regulations to allow Tom Dock and John to go around killing cats. The iguana cull was disgusting enough. The way these islands treat animals is disgusting.
They need to cull the lice and worm infested property destroying feral Chickens next
Do you want the cats to obliterate the
birds? If so, YOU are disgusting!
This is honestly ridiculous. We are so concerned with cats that we are losing our biodiversity and native birds.
Just great FF, now we have to wait for this to play out in court and I guarantee you, ultimately the law will come into effect and the cats will be humanely killed. You’ve just allowed hundreds if not thousands of native seabirds to be killed while you waste donors’ money taking this to court.
Big hurrah.
“Humanely” is the word the cat haters use ad nauseum, yet no one has explained the exact euthanasia process. At some point, a cat is being restrained against its will and injected. Even if the injection is to sedate the cat to prepare it for the lethal injection, the cat is scared and fighting to get free. NOT humane.
And if we truly want to be “honestly ridiculous,” name one thing that iguanas and birds provide that other animals do not provide — other than being, well, iguanas and birds.
If you really care about “biodiversity,” spend you efforts and your money curtailing development.
Well birds and iguanas have a natural place in the food chain on these islands?
In your mind the Dodo should have just evolved to survive humans right?
The humane society sent an observer to little cayman to watch the process and they had no criticism feedback on how it was done. So, you could maybe ask them.
Your mindset epitomizes pretty much all that is wrong with the planet.
You honestly missed the point. If we are going to go down this road, do you eat meat? Do you care about the way cows, pigs and chickens are killed to eat meat?
This is the biggest threat and a very easy way to deal with it. Igaunas and birds are NATIVE to these islands. It is unfortunate that people have caused this problem.
And while you have no idea who I am, I have spent my time and efforts in curtailing development, but that is not the only threat to biodiversity.
But perhaps you should really be looking at the whole picture. PETA doesn’t even think that the trap-neuter-release helps anything. They are the world wide organization against animal cruelty.
If you’re worried about the cats being traumatised by that process there’s much simpler (and cheaper) option – shoot them. That’s what we did with feral dogs in one country where I worked and how they control foxes where I come from in the UK. Done properly using a high-velocity round they don’t hear or feel a thing.
Animals play a huge part in the world’s ecosystem. Cats and dogs, however, are domesticated so can no longer be added in a positive way to the ecosystem.
In places in Canada and Northern US, they are realising the effect that wolves have on the movement of rivers and the forests. If you are actually wanting to get educated about this, have a look here:
https://rewilding.academy/rewilding/how-wolves-change-rivers/#:~:text=Surprisingly%2C%20the%20presence%20of%20wolves,the%20park%27s%20geography%20and%20environment.
So yes, iguanas and native birds can affect the biodiversity of our islands. Plus they are NATIVE, why shouldn’t we protect them? Just because cats are easier to cuddle?
Agreed.
How many Caymanians are involved in FF?
Zero.
Yes, 6:50, zero, because it is an organization that tries to cope with problems arising from animal neglect in Cayman and no Caymanians will ever be found to be involved in such an organization.
Booya! Telling it like it is 8:38.
But their indigenous fauna is being sacrificed at the alter of imported self-righteous arrogance. Damn them. If spot a feral cat I am going after it. Any cat lover, myself included, would have preferred an orderly trapping process. If that is not available, alternatives will inevitably follow.
Most of them are just using it to bolster their points on their PR application in respect of community involvement! After that is granted goodbye to the “charity”.
Dog walking doesn’t count anymore to PR points, so maybe they are more critical now of the “help” given to animals through the animal charities.
Chris Saunders got rid of dog walking as an option for volunteer hours though.
And the humane society has never been so desperate for volunteers. I saw a post that they only had 2 people volunteer one Saturday. Amazing how the numbers went down when people realised they couldn’t rely on it on the PR application.
Amazing how it’s only expats who do all this volunteering (even if it is in the hope of getting points). Where are the Caymanian volunteers that the Humane Society desperately needs?
Trying to save the native species. That’s where. Don’t make it like expats give a damn when it’s for points. Glad Saunders got rid of that.