The Irresponsibility of Outdoor Pets

The island of New Zealand has a crisis on its hands; pet cats and dogs as well as other animals introduced into the natural habitat are killing the Kiwi at an alarming rate. This small bird is extremely rare, flightless, and offers an often easy-prey for the hunting instincts of pet dogs and cats who are allowed to roam, but the problem is not only in New Zealand. Pet owners, who have no idea how irresponsible they are being, allow their pets to roam killing full grown songbirds, wildlife, chicks of endangered and common birds, and even the domestic livestock of others. Keeping outdoor pets is one of the worst things many can do for nature, but many people continue to own hoards of cats or packs of dogs without apology.

First and foremost, the wilds do not need a domesticated animal roaming around killing their young. It is perhaps the nature of the outdoor pet to hunt for prey, but how would you feel if you knew that a big part of the dwindling population of endangered animals is the very tomcat you feed on your porch every afternoon? Domesticated animals kill thousands of wild turkey poults, quail, ducks, baby geese, and even prowl into local farms and murder hundreds of chickens, and it does not matter how well they are fed. The killer instinct is at work in both dogs and cats, giving them all the reason they require to become natural serial killers.

Some folks require a small population of cats or dogs outside to keep mice out of corn cribs and keep sheep inline. To these farmers, there are a few guidelines to remain responsible. Control breeding. When you have enough cats to keep the mice at bay, sterilize your population to control both unregulated overbreeding and inbreeding. This is important for the lives of your cats as well as the health of nature around your farm.