Competition for children to kill the most cats is banned after backlash

A children’s cat-killing competition has finally been called off following a heated backlash.

Organisers of the North Canterbury Hunting Competition in New Zealand encouraged kids to kill as many feral cats as possible for the prize of £124.

Although the animals are considered a pest in New Zealand, the event was met with condemnation from animal welfare groups.

They argued children would not be able to differentiate between ‘a feral, stray or frightened domesticated cat’.

There were also fears house cats would be ‘caught in the crossfire’, a former event sponsor told Stuff.

The annual hunt was announced as part of a June fundraiser for a local school in Canterbury on the South Island.

It also included a competition to kill the most wild pigs, deer and hares.

But organisers were left upset after they received ‘vile and inappropriate emails’ after they announced the children’s category.

‘We are disappointed and apologise for those who were excited to be involved in something that is about protecting our native birds, and other vulnerable species,’ the group wrote on Facebook.

Some supporters insisted the hunt could have been a ‘controlled cull’.

Sophie Simmons wrote: ‘If only people knew the damage wild cats cause around the place.

‘They also have an effect on our farming. Wild cats carry diseases… we will just keep shooting them for as long as we keep seeing them.’

Feral cats are a major threat to native species and biodiversity in New Zealand.

The Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society has estimated feral cats could be responsible for the deaths of as many as 1.1 million native birds.

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