New Zealand’s Far North District (located in, you guessed it, the far north of the country) is set to debate a significant change in animal regulations, with a proposed rule that would require all cats over the age of four that month to be both microchipped and desexed.
The new rules, if adopted, would be the first animal regulations in the district since 2019, when the previous rule expired. As a result, pet management has become an increasing challenge, especially for cats, which are not covered by any current regulations. Although the bylaw will regulate desexing, there is no limit on the number of cats per household. The bylaw also proposes restrictions on other animals, including banning roosters and pigs in urban areas.
New Zealand has been in the international news for its view of feral cats in the past when the announcement of a feral cat-hunting contest for children went viral. Public outrage led organizers to withdraw the event, although they maintained that the junior hunting tournament to kill feral cats was about “protecting native birds and other vulnerable species.”
So, where do feral cats fit into societies, especially in Island countries like New Zealand or Australia, where expanding populations threaten and endanger native animal species?
Although house cats are popular and loved in New Zealand, a country of only 5.2 million people, there are an estimated 2.4 million feral cats. So, seeing new laws proposed ‘fences up’ rather than ‘ambulances down’, like hunting competitions, will hopefully pave the way for the future and give cats and the public a chance parallel
The issue of feral cats has been a tense topic for years between animal lovers and authorities around the world, due to their impact on other wildlife. In New Zealand, one of the species threatened by feral cats (but not limited to) is the kiwi, the current endangered national bird of the country. Kiwi birds have an estimated population of 68,000, which is declining by 2% per year – about 20 kiwi per week. 
A Gap in Pet Management
The passage of the previous bylaw in 2019 left a regulatory gap, meaning the district has no formal control over pet populations other than dogs, which are regulated under a separate rule. The lack of rules has made it difficult for the Far North District Council to respond effectively to residents’ complaints about nuisance or stray animals, and animal welfare organizations are stretched thin trying to manage the issues that arise. of uncontrolled breeding of feral cats.
Under the proposed new law, the council will gain tools to manage not only the behavior of pet owners but also the environmental and community impacts of uncontrolled animal populations.
Basic Provisions for Cats
The proposed “chipping and snipping” requirement for cats over four months of age is one of the key features of the bylaw. This new rule is designed to deal with the growing population of stray and unowned cats, a pressing issue in the Far North District, which has a mild climate that allows for almost year-round breeding of cats.
Animal rescues, such as Kerikeri-based Coast to Coast Cat Rescue, are inundated with kittens and stray cats. As of September 2024, Coast to Coast has taken in nearly 2,100 cats and kittens since 2021 alone. According to Sam Stewart, the organization’s founder, few of these animals were desexed or microchipped when they arrived, and many were lost or abandoned by their previous owners.
Microchipping and desexing are seen as important steps in both managing the cat population and ensuring animal welfare. Microchipping provides a permanent method of identification, increasing the chances of returning lost or stray cats to their owners and reducing the number of unidentified strays that end up in rescues. Desexing helps reduce unwanted litters and inhumane treatment of them, which is especially important in regions where mild climates make for long breeding seasons.
Exceptions will be made for registered breeding cats or if a veterinarian certifies that desexing will harm the cat’s health. In addition to microchipping and desexing, the bylaw leaves a limit on the number of cats per household, under the reasoning that cat hoarding only becomes a problem if the animals are not managed responsibly.
Protecting Native Bird Populations
With regard to animal welfare, one of the most pressing reasons for this legislation is the impact of feral and feral cats on New Zealand’s native wildlife. Cats, domestic or feral, are natural predators of birds, and they pose a serious threat to New Zealand’s unique bird species. With some species already endangered, hunting cats adds significant pressure to these fragile populations. The tūī, kākā, fantail, and aforementioned kiwi are among the vulnerable species that roam or nest in areas frequented by cats. The hunting instinct of even well-fed domestic cats can harm native bird numbers, especially in regions like the Far North, where many birds live on the ground and are thus more accessible. of predators.
Cats were introduced into an environment where native species evolved without land-based mammalian predators, making them more vulnerable. For example, the kiwi bird is flightless and nocturnal, aligning their waking hours with the feral cat population. One of their main adapted defenses is ‘freezing’, which is not good against birds of prey that use sight to hunt, but not helpful against cats, which use scent.
In the video below you can see the kiwi ‘freezing’. The feral cat is too busy eating to worry about the kiwi in the movie.
A legislative focus on desexing and managing stray cats can reduce these risks, helping to create safer environments for New Zealand’s birds and supporting wider conservation efforts. caution.
Community Impact and Action Towards Responsible Pet Ownership
Proponents of the legislation hope it will be a turning point and have a lasting positive impact on pet ownership practices in the Far North region, aiming to educate and encourage responsible pet ownership. By requiring basic steps like microchipping and desexing, the bylaw could help reduce the number of stray and unwanted animals and lead to a cultural change in how pets are managed.
The bill waives the requirement for a limit on the number of cats per household, as long as they are desexed, microchipped, and cared for responsibly (responsible care being the key phrase). Hoarding situations only become an issue when the number of animals a person keeps exceeds their ability to care for them responsibly, so those will still be dealt with by the SPCA, health services of minds, or council inspectors.
Consultation and Next Steps
The public has until November 18 to submit their views on the bylaw, with consultation open from September. If passed, the Far North District will join other districts in the country in implementing compulsory microchipping and desexing to reduce cat overpopulation and its effects.
- What are your thoughts on compulsory chipping and desexing?
- Do you believe this rule will help protect New Zealand’s native birds? How important is it for conservation?
We’d love to hear from you in the comment section below (under the feedback stars, keep scrolling down!).
