This is a story of cat killing vigilantes which tells me that Australia’s attitude towards domestic, stray and feral cat is disgusting. It is reprehensible and they should be ashamed of themselves.
A group of sadistic people have formed “Cat Busters”. They advertise themselves by putting flyers through letter boxes across Melbourne and Sydney. They say that they always act within the law but what they do makes you wonder whether the law is a complete ass or at least completely inhumane.
They trap any outdoor cat that they can and then take the cat to the local pound where they gleefully advertise that the cat is almost invariably destroyed.
As to feral and stray cats they hunt them with rifles. They place photographs of the rifle and the dead cat on the Internet, on social media, once again gleefully advertising their sadistic pastime. They love killing cats and the law approves.
The flyers say that Cat Busters catches cats and in suburban areas they catch the cats using cage and leghold traps and that most captured cats and up being destroyed. They then say that any cat who is found outside of its owner’s property risk being captured and killed. This presumably is intended to terrorise the community into keeping their cats indoors. I’m not sure whether it is obligatory to keep cats indoors at all times in Sydney and Melbourne, the areas where they operate. It probably is a legal obligation which allows them to act within the law (but see below).
Unfortunately, as mentioned above, the law is cruel and this cruelty is compounded by the almost forgone conclusion that any cat taken to a local pound will be killed.
The RSPCA in Australia tell us that they are investigating the matter. They ask for concerned people to contact them. Cat Busters has been criticised by concerned residents and cat owners.
The law wasn’t intended in my opinion to facilitate this sort of cruel behaviour.
Cat Busters say:
“In residential areas, we trap cats. This is done entirely in line with local laws. We then deliver the trapped cats to the local authority, which in most cases is the local council. Most of these cat with end up destroyed. A good result!”
To add insult to injury in rural areas shot cats are often strung up with dead foxes on fences.
“In country areas, including in state forests et cetera, cats may be trapped, baited or shot, depending on the specifics of the area being covered. This is done entirely lawfully. It is the legal responsibility of cat owners to keep their cats within their property boundaries at all-time.” (Cat Busters)
The RSPCA say that cats and dogs aren’t allowed to roam onto other people’s property in the state of Victoria. That is not the same thing as being outside the owner’s property. Has Cat Busters got the law right?
The RSPCA Victoria say:
“Another person can therefore trap your cat on their own property and can then contact the council to collect the animal.” – Once again this is not the same as trapping any cat outside anywhere as stated by this obnoxious group.
The RSPCA say that feral cats need to be managed but in a humane way. They imply that this group is not acting humanely towards cats which is quite obvious. All traps can cause injury especially and harm, leg holds, so they should not be used unless it is absolutely necessary.
Over many years it is hard to deny, as it has been made abundantly clear to outsiders, that Australia’s relationship with the domestic, stray and feral cat has deteriorated and this group, Cat Busters, have taken the lead from the authorities who enact the laws to act inhumanely towards cats. Their behaviour is legal (they declare) and therefore in this instance the law is encouraging inhumane treatment of animals. That can’t be right.
Source: Daily Mail
Many of those cats look like pet cats – this was supposed to be a Govt initiative to get rid of feral cats in remote areas, not suburban areas where there is little if any wildlife. I live in Victoria and we can’t even have TNR here it’s so anti cat. I keep my cats indoors or in an enclosure for THEIR safety because at the very least ppl are so precious these days – eg cat paw prints on their car etc. however I do the right thing. These vile creeps on cat busters are acting illegally and cruelly. They are a hate group and act out their hate on vulnerable small animals. Humans are the biggest threat to wildlife. Australia is big though and I think the wildlife groups and bird groups are getting out of line with their hatred for cats. I’m embarrassed to be Australian, as it’s become a place where killing cats who are owned and loved is treated as being ok -,the Govt need to remember that cat owners vote too. Also FB need to lift their game as this hate group has been reported numerous times but as per usual it is all just fine with Facebook – shame on you Facebook! I also disagree with culling feral cats as they are demonised here and yet humans are the reason they are here. They want to live too and have a right to.
Thanks Pippa for commenting. I agree with you. Many Australians love cats, I Know. It’s the authorities who worry me.
I agree 100% the only place someone’s pet belongs is on their property. Pets are not objects. An open gate, door , or window or even an outside force can leave them loose and vulnerable. The idea there is a group of maniacs waiting their chance to kill you pet is insane. Basing a cats status as pet or feral when being terrorized by these sadists is just beyond belief.
This will end in human violence. Wait and see.
those Cat Busters SHOULD be arrested & made to undergo psychiatric treatment cuz cruelty to animals usually goes hand-in-hand with serious behavioral issues! BUT i DO agree that people SHOULD keep their pets on THEIR OWN property at all times unless they are taking them for a walk & if THATs the case they SHOULD be on a leash of some sort.
also: ‘The RSPCA say that cats and dogs aren’t allowed to roam onto other people’s property in the state of Victoria. That is not the same thing as being outside the owner’s property.’ technically it IS the same thing cuz we dont own our neighbors property. ur property ends at the property marker. if u have a next-door neighbor their property begins where urs ends. when my neighbors little dog got into my yard & they refused to get it out cuz, “all animals SHOULD be allowed to go where they please” i had every right to call animal control(especially after it bit when i tried to peacefully coax it out of MY yard)to pick it up every time it happened. when they were handed the ticket saying they had to pay a fine to get their dog released it was nice that the animal control person backed me up saying, “every owner is responsible for their animal & its behavior from the moment they purchase it til the moment they relinquish it or it/they die. it doesnt matter where the animal is. its like ur kids, sir.” so im sorry if im pissing people off with that, but it IS the truth. if we truly LOVE our pets then we SHOULD be doing EVERYTHING we can to keep them safe. letting them roam does NOT keep them safe. they r like our children(if u have them). we put foot-to-ass(& sometimes IN ass)to protect THEM. we should do the same for our pets. if it means u build an enclosure so they can walk about freely in ur yard, or put up a chain-link fence so they cant climb/jump out, or put them on a leash, or whatever we SHOULD do that cuz once they r off our property all of the “he/she/they shouldnt have done THIS/THAT” or the cries of “animal cruelty”(no matter how right it might be under the circumstances) wont change if our animals get hurt, hunted, captured, &/or god forbid killed. my middle daughter finally understood that when a friend got into an accident cuz shed been drinking & driving, but we told her she couldnt go to the party. she apologized for the things she said to us & realized we have rules & laws for a reason. following our rules saved her life. following these laws(the one about pets staying on their owners property i mean)wouldve saved some of those animals lives.
this is just my opinion. u dont have to agree, but the bit about the “animal being on ur property” law & how it protects ur pets from assholes like those Cat Busters thats still true.
They should be lobotomized and set to work picking up roadside trash.
im not big on name calling, but if they were lobotomized theyd do as crappy a job at picking up trash as they do TRYING to be decent human beings, if one could even call it that…which i doubt.
I have to add to this. In what world do we live that our pets are in mortal danger if they escape. In what world do CAT owners have to put up with open threats to kill their pets. This is a form or terrorism. Cat hate is like a disease.
Replace all those pictures with some photo shopped dogs and post them and see what happens.
This so inhumane. I got nauseated and ill seeing the pictures of these precious souls that were killed for no reason. Australia, where is your heart? You are in the dark ages. You have no soul. Karma works in mysterious ways. These cats have lives that matter. They are beneficial in many ways. There will be unforeseen repercussions. It has happened repeatedly throughout history.