Statement by Stephanie Shain, Director of Companion Animal Outreach, The Humane Society of the United States, Regarding Plans to Allow Hunting of Feral Cats in Wisconsin

WASHINGTON — A plan announced Tuesday by the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, an advisory group to the Department of Natural Resources, to allow the shooting of cats in Wisconsin by hunters holding a small-game license is misguided and should be rejected out of hand.  The plan enables the state to categorize free-roaming domestic cats as an unprotected species.  In so doing, any cat not under a person's direct control or not wearing a collar could be shot and killed.

Claims that the cat shooting is an effort to protect native bird species is ludicrous. Estimates of wildlife deaths attributed to cat predation are statistically flawed and cannot be relied on as accurate indicators of the actual impacts cats may be having on wild species. Other factors such as habitat destruction, environmental pollution and wildlife-on-wildlife predation also contribute to the decline of wild birds and small wild mammals. Feral and free-roaming cat populations should be reduced, but this can be done humanely, to both lessen the effect they may have on wild populations as well as to reduce the suffering of these homeless companion animals.  However, randomly shooting cats won't do anything to control feral or free-roaming cat populations and threatens to cause significant suffering. 

Cat protection and wildlife protection aren't mutually exclusive. The answer, however, can't be found in the barrel of a gun.  A solution lies in communities coming together to address populations of cats comprehensively through responsible ownership, enforcement of abandonment laws and handling feral and free-roaming cats populations through comprehensive and well-funded programs.  Such programs are recommended by The HSUS as well as by the International City/County Management Association.

Who decides whether a cat is feral or unowned or merely has strayed from home?  Studies conducted through animal shelters in California and Hawaii found that more than 20% of incoming cats believed to be feral on entry into the facility, turned out to be frightened owned house cats 48 hours later.  Also, in most areas of the country, animal control laws fail to include cats so owners have not been required to keep control of their cats by either keeping them indoors or safely confined to their own property. 

If the people of Wisconsin are truly concerned about the effects feral cats may be having on wildlife they should be looking to address the issue broadly and humanely.  The HSUS will be sending information to all city and county officials charged with animal control matters in the state and to the Governor's office with a standing offer to help devise non-lethal plans to address feral cat populations.  The HSUS will also be working to educate people in all states that they need to watch out for such insidious efforts in their own communities.  More information can be found at www.animalsheltering.org.

Laws pertaining to cats vary widely across the country and The HSUS urges citizens in all 50 states to find out what the current laws are in their own state.  In order to encourage more responsible care of cats, The HSUS launched its Safe Cats campaign in 2002 to promote public education and responsibility for one's own cats. Through the campaign, The HSUS educates cat owners about the importance of spaying and neutering and the dangers pet cats face when allowed to roam alone or unsupervised. The campaign also assists cat owners in keeping their cat happy indoors and offers guidance on local laws that address a variety of cat issues.  For more information, go to www.SafeCats.org.  

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with more than 9 million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals and equine protection, wildlife and habitat protection, animals in research and farm animals and sustainable agriculture. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy, and field work. The non-profit organization is based in Washington and has field representatives across the country. On the web at www.hsus.org.