Alley Cat Rescue Pushes for Action Against State-sponsored Killing of Feral Cats in New Zealand

MT. RAINIER, Md., Jan. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- New Zealand's Predator Free 2050 Program is a national, government-run effort to cull introduced species the Department of Conservation considers to be threats to native wildlife. The original list of targeted species included rats, mustelids, and possums but in 2025, the Department announced the possibility of adding feral cats. Recently, they made the official decision to add feral cats, thereby not only sanctioning but encouraging New Zealanders to assist in hunting them.

Alley Cat Rescue pressed the Predator Free 2050 decision against targeting feral cats in early 2025 in a letter, signed by 178 scientists, veterinarians, and animal control experts. The letter cited scientific evidence that eradication of feral cats across New Zealand is an inhumane and impossible goal while large-scale sterilizations campaigns would be more effective. None of the individuals to whom the letter was sent responded.

Following the Department of Conservation's announcement that feral cats have been added to their kill list, Alley Cat Rescue is bringing the matter to the global public. The nonprofit urges individuals to sign and circulate a petition (https://www.change.org/p/stop-new-zealand-s-feral-cat-massacre) to pressure New Zealand's government to end cat culling and establish a trap-neuter-return program instead.

Alley Cat Rescue President and Founder, Louise Holton, explains, "Killing cats is not a solution – it's an illusion of action. The vacant territory left behind is quickly re-populated, breeding restarts, and the problem returns. This approach wastes resources as well as guarantees failure."

More information about this is available at saveacat.org/NZ-Cat-Culling.html.

Alley Cat Rescue is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to the welfare of all cats. ACR advocates for humane nonlethal control of cats. For more information, visit their website https://www.saveacat.org. 

SOURCE Alley Cat Rescue, Inc.