Thousands sign petition against shooting stray cats in Friesland

A petition has been signed by thousands against shooting and killing stray cats in Friesland, the only province in the Netherlands to still be shooting cats.

The Animal & Justice activist group, Dier & Recht, is calling out to the province to stop this horrible act. “It’s unnecessary, cruel, and outdated,” the NOS reports.

Protection of birds

In 2021, Friesland killed over 250 cats and 447 the year before. The province’s main argument for shooting cats is to protect meadow birds. 🐦

READ MORE | Cats are causing 140 million deaths each year, and only some of their victims are furniture

Board member of the Association of Frisian Birdwatches, Titus Sijmonsma, states, “They are robbers in the field, lust killers. Once they start, they don’t stop.” 

Shooting stray cats is allowed under Dutch law with Friesland being the last of the 12 Dutch provinces continuing the practice. 

A humane approach

The action group argues that there are other ways than shooting cats, such as using pet-friendly methods.

These include catching, neutering, and chipping, before relocating them to farms. 

The action group acknowledges the decrease in meadow birds, but according to them, stray cats aren’t the issue. 

Dier & Recht vet, Kelly Kessen, reported to AD, “Yes, cats catch birds, but they would rather catch rats and mice. So if you castrate a cat, you have largely solved the problem.”

Want to get involved? You can sign the petition here. 🐈

What do you think about this act? Tell us in the comments below! 

Feature Image:Depositphotos
Francesca Burbano
Francesca Burbanohttps://burbanofrancesca.journoportfolio.com
Francesca is an international at heart but moved to the Netherlands to get her degree in media and communication. While she's not a big fan of the cold weather and biking (for good reason — she's been hit by bikes three times already), she fell in love with the canals, bitterballen, and the 'gezelligheid' of Dutch culture. When she's not writing, you'll find her reading thriller books, hitting her personal records at the gym, and cuddling up with her Ragdoll cat.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Related posts

Latest posts

This parody of the Zelensky-Trump spat aired on Dutch TV — now it’s going insanely viral

When Trump and Zelensky’s diplomatic drama hit the headlines, Dutch comedian Stefan Pop saw an opportunity — take a serious geopolitical crisis and turn...

Hannie Schaft: the Dutch spy who was executed by the Nazis

Allegedly, when the first shot aimed at Hannie Schaft’s head only grazed her temple, she taunted the firing line: “Ouch! I shoot better!” Hannie Schaft...

NS reveals flashy new double-decker trains with perks commuters will LOVE

NS dropped a bombshell (or should we say, a trainshell?) this week: a brand-new double-decker train with more perks than your boss’s company car.  With...

It's happening

Upcoming events