Malaleuca has a post on saving the environment through commercially profit ventures, including a UNSW program called FATE (Future of Australia’s Threatened Ecosystems) which encourages the harvest of native plants and critters.

I’d like to see our laws changed so that people can have more native mammals as pets. I’m sure there are some species that would be amenable to domestic felicity. It’s stupid, I can have a green tree python if I get the appropriate licence and show some history of being nice to lesser reptiles, budgies and cockies are fair game, but if it has warm blood and fur…

Meanwhile, the local councils have decided that all domestic cats if they aren’t show cats or breeders should be desexed. A motion will be going to state parliament shortly. While I’m all for many things that will reduce the pointless destruction of animals that occurs each year, I don’t think this will have any effect except to further police what you can and can’t do in your own home. People who don’t get their cats desexed and let them roam are probably still going to do it, only now people who for whatever reason don’t desex but keep their cats indoors will be made into transgressors of the law. There are completely valid reasons not to desex your cats, their personality can change (sometimes for the better but it can be a gamble) and any sort of surgery has its risks, also some cats live longer when they aren’t changed (some cats live longer when they are).  Some people might think it’s cruel to keep a cat indoors, and for some cats it is, but it’s beneficial for the environment and usually the cat’s welfare to do so. If you do then I don’t see what it is to anyone except you and your cat whether they are desexed or not. Maybe I just find something really quite disturbing when governments enforce sterilisation even if it is just animals.

At the moment, there’s a special from the cat protection society until mid December where you can desex and microchip your cat for a tiny amount, around $60. They will even pick up your kitty for you. So my only entire kitty (who is always kept indoors because she’s stupid) might just get the snip. I just feel that is should be my choice to weigh up the benefits for her and that incentives to desex are going to work much better than fines that won’t be policed (how on earth can you tell whether a female cat’s been desexed or not? Will I be required on the spot to show a certificate of neutering if a ranger knocks on my door? That just sends shivers down my spine).

Back to the native animal thing, if you want a little furry companion (and there’s a deep seated human need in a lot of us to) it would be nice to have more environmentally friendly options than just introduced species. Then if they go mutiplying it’s a good thing!

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