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Cats,
dogs and ferrets… You know they are pets, but
did you know they are also predators and can be
pests?
Cats
and dogs are part of the family in many New Zealand
homes - they are loved pets, but they are predators
of native wildlife and they can also be
pests.
Pet
ferrets aren’t as common as cats and dogs in
New Zealand homes. In fact many people believe that
they should not be allowed as pets in New Zealand
because they kill native birds.
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What’s
the big deal? Why worry about whether cats, dogs
and ferrets are pets or pests?
New
Zealand native species evolved without mammal
predators such as cats, dogs and ferrets. Therefore
native species didn’t develop defences (like
flying) to protect themselves against mammal
predators.
When
mammal predators were brought to New Zealand by
people they hunted native species, particularly
birds and big insects. The populations of some
native species fell, some species became extinct
and many species have become endangered. (For
examples read True
Stories)
So
it’s important to know about the risk cats,
dogs and ferrets pose to New Zealand’s native
species and what you can do to stop your pet
becoming a pest.
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C
A
T
S
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Cats
are pets in about 50% of New Zealand homes. Pet
cats depend on people for their food and shelter.
Even a pet cat, that is well fed and looked after
may still hunt. Cats are predators. It is part of a
cat’s natural behaviour to hunt.
Cats
can be pests. Some cats are abandoned and become
strays. They roam towns and cities scavenging for
food &endash; they are urban pests and they
sometimes hunt native species. If stray cats move
away from human populations they will become
feral.
Feral
cats
are wild and live away from towns and cities. They
do not depend on people for their food or shelter.
They will hunt for food in forests and along rivers
and beaches &endash; where native birds like kiwi,
kereru and dotterel live.
All
cats, domestic, stray and feral, can be a danger to
populations of native birds, lizards and
invertebrates.
Link
to True
Stories
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D
O
G
S
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Dogs
are often more than pets, they are farm workers,
hunting companions, guide dogs and some are even
used in the work to help threatened species like
the kiwi. Dogs are often described as "man’s
best friend". But man’s best friend can be the
kiwi’s worst enemy.
Dogs
are natural hunters. Their hunting skills and keen
sense of smell can be the death of native birds
like the kiwi and little blue penguin. Stray and
feral dogs are a danger to native wildlife. Pet
dogs that are not controlled can also be
pests.
Link
to True
Stories
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F
E
R
R
E
T
S
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Some
people have ferrets as pets but ferrets are a big
pest in New Zealand.
Ferrets
were brought to New Zealand to help control the
rabbit population, because rabbits are a pest on
New Zealand farms. Unfortunately the ferrets became
an even bigger pest to native wildlife and they can
also spread disease to farm animals and people.
The
Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New
Zealand would be pleased if no-one kept ferrets as
pets in New Zealand because of their threat to New
Zealand wildlife.
Learn
more about ferrets on the Department of
Conservation website www.doc.govt.nz
(go to the ‘pest’ section)
Link
to True
Stories
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Domestic
They are pets living in homes with people.
Domestic pets depend on people for food and
shelter, but may still hunt because it is their
natural instinct.
Stray
They are unowned. Stray cats and dogs usually
live in towns and cities, scavenging for food. They
may become truly feral if they move away from towns
and cities.
Feral
These cats, dogs and ferrets do not depend on
people, they are wild. They live away from cities
on farmland and in forests.
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Stop
your pet from becoming a pest… Do’s and
Don’ts
DO,
DO, DO…
- Get
your pet de-sexed at the vet or the RSPCA (this
means it will not be able to have unwanted
babies)
- Keep
your dog on a leash
- Care
for your dog or cat properly &endash; this
includes providing them with food, shelter,
water, toys and exercise
- Exercise
your dog away from areas where there is native
wildlife, especially bird nesting areas like
beaches and estuaries
- Keep
your pet in at night so they can’t hunt
nocturnal wildlife
- Help
to take care of native New Zealand
But
please…
- Don’t
dump unwanted cats, kittens, dogs, puppies and
ferrets
- Don’t
own a ferret in New Zealand
- Don’t
take your pet to areas where native birds live
and breed, especially bird nesting areas like
beaches and estuaries
If
you don’t want a pet anymore or if it has
babies you can’t keep, do not abandon them
&endash; they may become wild and kill native
wildlife. If you have pets you no longer want
contact the RSPCA or take them to the vet to have
them put to sleep.
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Learn
how to properly care for your cat or
dog
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- ‘New
Zealand Dog Owners Manual.’ By Tom
Didovich. Published by New House Publishers,
1991.
- ‘Dog
Owners Handbook. A Guide to responsible dog
ownership.’ Available from Hutt City
Council.
- Royal
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(RSPCA) www.rspcanz.org.nz
- Check
out Pet
or Pest &endash;
Resources
to learn more.
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New
Solutions…
homes without cats and dogs.
Some
New Zealanders are choosing to live in areas where
cats and dogs are not allowed as pets or where
there are rules about owning cats and dogs &endash;
like the cats and dogs have to be de-sexed so they
can’t have babies. People are doing this so
there will be less cats and dogs in the area to
hunt wildlife near their homes.
Examples
where there are pet restrictions are the Five Jems
Subdivision at Waihi Beach, Athenree near Tauranga
and properties on the Kerikeri Inlet in Northland.
Learn more about these areas in the Forest &
Bird magazine &endash; check the Pet
or Pest? Resource
page for details.
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The
Western Bay of Plenty District Council made a
landmark decision in November 1996 to ban cats and
dogs from the Five Jems subdivision at Waihi Beach.
The Department of Conservation and Royal Forest and
Bird Protection Society sought the ban to protect
sensitive bird populations in a neighbouring salt
marsh reserve.
Information
from the Department of
Conservation
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Learn
more about cats, dogs and ferrets...
Laws
True
Stories
Resources
The Pet
or Pest? information was written in November
2000.
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