Latest Updates on the anti Savannah Cat campaign
Monday, 4 July 2008
Savannah cats have been banned from Australia
Excellent news! but it won't be over yet. The importers are intending on launching a damages claim and the US breeders are considering a damages claim against the Australian importers. It looks like it could get ugly for Peter Garrett. There's also been mention of issues with restriction of trade under the free trade agreement.
The changes to the domestic cat definition only seems to mention Serval genes, there's no mention of other similar cat breeds such as the Bengal cats. A cross between an Asian Leopard Cat and a domestic cat.
Garrett bans cats with 'wild' genes - Herald Sun
Thursday, 26 June 2008
The petition was tabled at the Senate
The petition was one of three petitions tabled at the Senate on 26/6/2008. For the details of the petitions tabled on the day can be found at:
The 'Daily Summary' for the 26/6/08 can be found at:
Thank you to everyone who signed the petition. If you haven't signed you still can, we will leave it going incase we can use it again or send it to someone else
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
The petition will be presented to the Senate on Thursday the 26/6/08
Many many thanks to Senator Christine Milne and the people at her office for offering to take the petition to the Senate and putting up with my harassment. The Senate has a really tight schedule this week and may not have a lot of emphasis but it will be presented to the upper and lower house which will put the message out to a lot more pollies.
Saturday, 21 June 2008
We will try to have the petition presented to the Senate on the 26/6/08
We will be sending the petition details to Senator Christine Milne and requesting that she present the petition to the Senate on Thursday, 26 June 2008. The Senate will already have a heavy schedule since it is the end of financial year and we also have a tight time frame till then. We only found out today what the time table for the Senate meetings are, the 26/6/08 is the last time both houses will sit at the Senate until the end of August. Hopefully Senator Christine Milne can sqeaze it in.
The additional wording at the start of the signatures has been added to make it comply with the rules of the Senate
Friday, 20 June 2008
A draft assessment report on the Savannah Cat has been prepared
A draft assessment report on the Savannah Cat has been prepared by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) against the terms of reference approved by the Minister. The draft report assesses the suitability of import of the Savannah Cat into Australia.
The draft is available at:http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/trade-use/invitecomment/pubs/savannah-cat.pdf
Comments are invited on the draft report at:
http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/trade-use/invitecomment/savannah-cat.html
The period for public comment closes on 17 July 2008.
Wednesday, 18 June 2008
The RSPCA state their view
The RSPCA strongly opposes any wild-domestic hybrids because of the difficulties involved in caring for such animals, rehoming them and preventing them from becoming invasive animals that could threaten native wildlife. On top of this you end up with a non-domestic animal living in a domestic context.
You just need to consider the issue of dingo/domestic dog crosses. The RSPCA saw a lot of these dogs through its shelters.
In the case of Savannah cats (a cross between a domestic cat and wild African serval) there are serious animal welfare issues associated with the breeding process - it’s very difficult to get a domestic cat to mate with a wild serval.
Savannah cats would not be easy to care for and people could end up getting hurt.
Australia already has a lot of cats and it would be senseless to introduce even more. The RSPCA already sees too many cats coming through its shelters. Last year RSPCA shelters across Australia were forced to euthanase 33,343 cats – as far as we’re concerned that’s 33,343 too many and importing designer breeds like this only adds to the problem.
The RSPCA will be urging the Federal government to prohibit their importation.
Monday, 16 June 2008
Hybrid mega-cat under "assessment process"
Australian Greens leader Bob Brown says the threat to Australia's native wildlife from proposed imported cats cross-bred with wild African killer cats is horrific to contemplate. But, in Senate question time, the government indicated it has made no decision on plans to import the cats - 16 are in US quarantine on their way to Australia.
"I call on Environment Minister Peter Garrett to stop this cat import bid in its tracks," Senator Brown said today.
"He should close the loophole in Australian law allowing importers to order these dangerous cats," Senator Brown said.
