Authorities in the town of Walldorf, in southwestern Germany, have ordered cat owners to keep their pets indoors until the end of August.
The objective is help the Woodlark species, whose mating season lasts until the end of August. This bird nests on the ground, making it vulnerable to predators such as cats.
“Among other issues, the survival of the species depends on each chick“, Walldorf officials said, quoted by Euronews. The population of this bird in Western Europe has declined in recent decades, although the International Association for Conservation of Nature considers it a case of least concern.
This measure will be valid for all cats in the south of the town and will be repeated for another three years. The fine for those who break this rule can reach up to 500 euros, if the cat is found wandering the street, €50,000 – if the animal is seen injuring or killing a lark.
However, not everyone was satisfied with this measure, defending the rights of cats.
Suddenly preventing cats that are used to being outside from doing so means immense restrictions and stress for the animals,” Euronews Green told Deutscher Tierschutzbund, Germany’s largest animal protection organization. “The negative influence of cats on the bird population is, in any case, controversial.”
Daniela Schneider, an activist with Four Paws in Germany, also stated that “theintensive agriculture, monocultures and land exploitation probably have more impact than a few cats hunting birds“.
Source: Observadora
