New Zealand village cat ban plan leaves locals livid

NGO expresses skepticism over evidence presented

New Zealand village Omauwi is considering a first-of-its-kind ban on domestic cats as part of a pest-management plan, BBC reported.

Denying his suspected dislike for cats, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Centre Head Peter Marra has written extensively about how cats prey on birds and mammals. "We would never let dogs do that. It's about time we treat cats like dogs," he said.

Scientists have classified cats as one of the 100 worst non-native invasive species. Marra said rising cat populations had been linked to 63 species extinction. "This predicament is not the fault of cats - its humans' fault," he said. Explaining the dilemma of rising cat adoptions despite looming ecological loss, he told Otago Daily Times, "They are just cute - everything about them, which makes this whole thing more difficult."

The plan permits residents to keep their cats. They are, however, barred from adopting another when the current one dies. Domestic cats will also be neutered, injected with a microchip and registered with authorities.



''It's not even regulating people's ability to have a cat. It's saying you can't have a cat,'' a local told Otago Daily Times.“If I cannot have a cat, it almost becomes unhealthy for me to live in my house,” said another.

Others took to Facebook to voice their anger. New Zealand-based NGO Paw Justice has expressed skepticism over evidence presented.

This article originally appeared on BBC.