![](\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/1\/1f\/Morrissey_Live_at_SXSW_Austin_in_March_2006.jpg\/800px-Morrissey_Live_at_SXSW_Austin_in_March_2006.jpg\")
The Australian government has written to Morrissey and Brigitte Bardot to defend its decision to kill 2 million cats. The planned cull is aimed at protecting Australian wildlife decimated by feral cats. But last month the singer called the cull \u201cidiocy\u201d and said the cats were \u201csmaller versions of Cecil the Lion\u201d.<\/p>\n
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Morrissey said the Australian government was a \u201ccommittee of sheep-farmers who have zero concerns about animal welfare or animal respect\u201d.<\/p>\n
The former Smiths frontman is not the only famous figure to be miserable about the death of 2 million cats. Bardot, a long-standing animal welfare advocate, has written an open letter to Greg Hunt, the federal environment minister, decrying the cull.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis animal genocide is inhumane and ridiculous,\u201d the French actor wrote. \u201cIn addition to being cruel, killing these cats is absolutely useless since the rest of them will keep breeding.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour country is sullied by the blood of millions of innocent animals so please, don\u2019t add cats to this morbid record.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Australian government has now formally responded to Morrissey and Bardot through its threatened species commissioner, Gregory Andrews.<\/p>\n
In letters seen by Guardian Australia, Andrews tells both: \u201cI would like to commend you for your commitment to, and advocacy for, animals and their welfare.\u201d<\/p>\n
Andrews adds, however, that feral cats are an invasive species responsible for the extinction of at least 27 Australian mammals, such as the lesser bilby, desert bandicoot and large-eared hopping-mouse.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t want to lose any more species like these,\u201d he wrote. \u201cIt is with this sentiment in mind that the Australian government has taken a stance on feral cats; for the protection of our native species that belong here.\u201d<\/p>\n
The government considers feral cats to be the greatest threat to Australia\u2019s small mammals, birds and lizards, with 124 endangered species at risk from predation. There is a rough estimate of 20 million feral cats in Australia. Each kills at least five animals a day. The government plans to reduce this number by 2 million by 2020 through trapping, shooting and a new poison bait.<\/p>\n
Andrews told Guardian Australia: \u201cI never thought I\u2019d write to Brigitte Bardot. It\u2019s an unusual situation. I\u2019m glad people like them care about animal welfare and I care deeply about animal welfare too.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe threat to our wildlife are clear and feral cats are top of the list. We don\u2019t hate cats but we don\u2019t have a choice. We will do this as humanely as possible and we will reduce the net suffering of animals in Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n
Andrews said the RSPCA was involved in the process of the cull to ensure it was done humanely. He rejected Bardot\u2019s argument that the feral cats could be desexed.<\/p>\n
\u201cTrapping, neutering and releasing 20 million cats would not be justifiable in terms of cost,\u201d he said. \u201cAlso, we\u2019d be releasing a predator that will kill five animals a day for the rest of its life. It\u2019s not justifiable. We can\u2019t accept feral cats as part of the Australian ecology because if we do then we accept the extinction of bilbies, bandicoots and numbats.<\/p>\n
\u201cI sleep very well at night knowing what we are doing. Australians support this. Brigitte Bardot and Morrissey have a lack of understanding of Australia and what we are losing. They aren\u2019t Australians, they aren\u2019t experiencing the extinction crisis we have here.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Source: The Guardian
Image credit: Creative Content<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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