Great news – we have created two new site-led feral/stray cat programmes at high biodiversity value sites in Tasman.
This is to help protect native birds, insects and lizards at the sites from the threat of cats. The new site-led programmes are in Abel Tasman National Park, and St Arnaud village and environs.
But don’t worry, with responsible pet ownership, the family moggie will be safe.
A feral cat is defined as an independent, unsocial cat which is considered a wild animal. A stray cat may be partly dependent on humans or managed by a community (as a single cat or part of a colony) but has no specific owner.
Both cat-egories of cats pose significant threats to native biodiversity. The new rules within Abel Tasman are:
- Report a feral/stray cat and the location to us within 48 hours of a sighting.
- No person shall deliberately release any cat into the Abel Tasman, this includes a companion cat.
- The new rules within St Arnaud village and environs are:
- Report a feral/stray cat and the location to us within 48 hours of a sighting.
- No person shall keep, hold or harbour any companion cat within the mapped area unless it is desexed and microchipped, and the chip is registered on the New Zealand Companion Animal Register.
- No person shall deliberately release into the wild (i.e. Nelson Lakes National Park and environs) any companion cat from or living within the mapped area.
Visit this page for maps of the two new site-led areas and more information(external link). To report feral/stray cat sightings in the site-led areas, please call 03 543 8400.