BETHESDA, Md. – May 3, 2019 – Alley Cat Allies calls on the Australian government to end its war on cats, through which it has empowered countless vigilantes to slaughter cats with a goal of over two million killed by 2020.

“Killing millions of feral cats is barbaric, reprehensible and a morally flawed choice,” said Becky Robinson, president and founder of Alley Cat Allies. “Australia should be addressing the true causes of species loss–deforestation and other habitat destruction, climate change and development, instead of blaming cats for the loss of native species.”

Australia’s Inhumane Response to the Unfounded “Cat Problem”

The methods being used by the vigilantes to kill cats are nothing short of horrifying. Not only do cats suffer excruciating deaths, but since the poisons being used kill indiscriminately, many other animals meet the same miserable fate. Specially designed poison-laced sausages dropped by the thousands from helicopters are eaten by many animals, not just cats. They become collateral damage in the endless war on cats. The same is true for all the other methods being used to spread poison across the landscape. Cats, wildlife and humans are all put at risk as a result of Australia’s cat-killing campaign.

“What can justify a government unleashing untrained vigilantes with poison canisters and guns to kill two million cats in cold blood? The answer is nothing. That is both the ethical conclusion, and the practical one,” Robinson added. “Except on small islands, it is impossible to achieve any lasting reduction in cat populations by killing cats. It’s counter-intuitive, but true. Cats reproduce quickly, and nature abhors a vacuum. When cats are killed in a given area, cats from neighboring areas move in and reproduce.”

Alley Cat Allies has been advocating against Australia’s killing since its announcement in 2015. Robinson met at length with activists and concerned citizens opposed to the program in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia’s two largest cities. She was a presenter at The Business of Saving Lives conference in Sydney in 2016 at which attendees met to discuss humane treatment of dogs and cats, including unowned, outdoor cats. Alley Cat Allies sponsored the University of Technology Sydney’s 2017 International Compassionate Conservation Conference in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, which Robinson attended. She and Alley Cat Allies continue to be engaged with and supportive of the global compassionate conservation movement, a growing body of conservationists whose research shows that lethal means is as unethical as it is ineffective.

“Australia’s slaughter not only results in the death of large numbers of cats, it also inadvertently kills many non-target animals. The ugly side of humans comes out and the values of our society are degraded,” Robinson added. “What these schemes don’t do is to help revive populations of endangered animals. For this reason, Alley Cat Allies and our supporters around the world including in Australia, call on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to bring an end to his country’s heinous, wasteful and ineffective cat-killing initiatives.”

About Alley Cat Allies

Alley Cat Allies, headquartered in Bethesda, Md., is the global engine of change for cats. We protect and improve the lives of cats through our innovative, cutting-edge programs. We are seen around the world as a champion for the humane treatment of all cats. Founded in 1990, today Alley Cat Allies has more than a half-million supporters and helps tens of thousands of individuals, communities and organizations save and improve the lives of millions of cats and kittens worldwide. Its website is www.alleycat.org, and Alley Cat Allies is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.