Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 5 December 2012

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed)

10:40 am

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I presume feral cats will be dealt with as wild animals. They will be covered by the protections to ensure that wild animals cannot consume poison. This is also dealt with by the provision against unnecessary suffering. The main focus in this legislation is protected animals, by and large. The issue of feral cats is probably deserving of a separate response. We discussed cats and stray animals with Deputy Ó Cuív at the last meeting. Anyone who knows cats will agree that they are a semi-wild species. The issue of stray cats and kittens is a grey area and in particular how to deal with them in rural areas. Cats breed in farm sheds and they hunt vermin but these are not domesticated pets. This section imposes an obligation on those who lay poison for legitimate reasons to minimise the risk of the poison being consumed by other animals. The wildlife Act deals with the protection of birds in particular. There is the need to avoid having two different legislative measures which would cause legal uncertainty. I am happy to take suggestions from the Deputy on the formulation of a separate code to deal with feral cats.

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