Alley Cat Allies Takes Action to Ensure Cats Are Not Massacred Again in Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Just before Christmas of 2020, in the Port of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, a horrific and barbaric act of cruelty took place. With no warning, the Port Authority hired a contract killer to stalk and shoot cats in the middle of the night. The cats’ caregivers discovered a ghastly scene when they arrived the next morning.
What they found was a bloody massacre. As they searched for cats desperately, they found their beloved cats Rosie shot in the eye and Lucy shot in the head and now permanently blind.
At least 12 of the cats are dead, maimed or missing. The Port Authority had plans to kill even more cats before the volunteer caregivers brought public attention to the massacre.
The family of cats was living peacefully among the craggy concrete rocks of a manmade breakwall that stretches out into the sea. With their own time and money, residents spayed and neutered (desexed), vaccinated, and microchipped each of the cats and adopted out any socialized individuals. Through their efforts, they reduced the population on the breakwall from 100 cats to approximately 40 in just two years. The nonlethal program they have been conducting is the most effective and humane way to manage cat populations.
Working With Australia’s Animal Justice Party to Stop the Killing
Alley Cat Allies is working with Australia’s Animal Justice Party and local caregivers to challenge the actions of the Port of Newcastle and the underlying beliefs and thinking that led to the killing of the cats.
Member of Parliament, Emma Hurst, has gone on record. “The Government should be supporting community cat caregivers running Trap-Neuter-Return and care programs,” says Hurst. “Overseas, these programs have proven to be humane and effective ways to reduce the number of homeless cats. I’ll be calling for funding and legislative changes that will support TNR programs in Parliament.”
Together, we are making clear to the Port Authority and other leaders that lethal policies cannot be justified in any way, and must be eradicated with humane, lifesaving policies enacted in their place.
