The organizer of an event in New Zealand that rewarded children under 14 for killing wild cats, a predator of some species in the oceanic country, has announced its cancellation after receiving numerous public complaints.
In this category of the North Canterbury hunting tournament, located in the north-east of the South Island, the boy who was able to get the most cats before the end of June would be awarded around $150.
The organizers have explained on their social networks that they have made this decision to cancel the event “to avoid further violent reactions”, although it will continue with other categories for adults in which deer or wild boar will be hunted.
The contest was created to raise money for a local school, and the contest coordinators are disappointed by the negative public reaction: “Unfortunately, some vile and inappropriate emails and messages have been sent to the school and other people involved. We are incredibly disappointed in this reaction.”
The cancellation comes after the report of the death of a wild cat as a result of the infection of a wound caused by a compressed air rifle, something that had alerted animal protection associations that expressed their rejection of the hunting event.
Feral cats are a pest in New Zealand, where they have a major impact on native birds, bats, lizards, mice and insects, according to its Department of Conservation.
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