Concern for native animal species has prompted a
Southland council to monitor online pet sales, with a
particular focus on Bengal cats.
But both the SPCA and
a breeder say they are no more dangerous than other
varieties.
This week, an Environment Southland chief
executive report said staff were checking retail outlets and
online sales sites for Bengal cats and other “high risk”
pet sales.
Ownership of the breed requires a special
permit in Southland, with a complete ban on Stewart
Island/Rakiura.
In response to questions from Local
Democracy Reporting, the council said Bengal cats were the
main “high risk” pet it monitored.
“Bengal cats
have a specific rule in Southland because they have genetic
traits that make them dangerous predators to our native
species,” Environment Southland biosecurity and
biodiversity operations manager Ali Meade said.

Vaughan is the owner of Bengal cat breeding business Pride
of Eire in Parakai, north of Auckland. He says the variety
is unfairly vilified because of its appearance. Photo
credit: Pride of
Eire/Supplied.
“If Bengal cats
were to breed with the feral cat population, they could have
a major impact.”
The strong stance has received
pushback, however, with an SPCA spokesperson saying Bengal
cats were no more of a threat to native wildlife than other
breeds of companion, stray or feral
cats.
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Parakai-based Bengal breeder Damian Vaughan
agrees, slamming the council’s view of the leopard-looking
creatures. Parakai is north of Auckland.
Vaughan said
while all cats were predators by nature, Bengals had gained
an unfair reputation.
“They’re just being picked
on because they did come from wild origins being the Asian
Leopard Cat, and they look wild because of their leopard
markings. So it’s purely unjustified,” he said.
In
order for a Bengal to be let into the country, it had to be
five generations removed from the Asian Leopard
Cat.
Those in New Zealand were now at least 10
generations removed, and were no more skilled at hunting
than a “normal domestic cat”, Vaughan said.
“The
real problem is feral cats, with
wildlife.
“They’re going around with empty
bellies, and they have to hunt to survive and
eat.
“So they would be the ones that would decimate
wildlife, not a Bengal that’s walking around with a big
full belly.”
Vaughan said he had been breeding
Bengals for 15 years.
Females could reach up to 6kg
and males up to 8kg, with a lifespan similar to that of
other domestic cats — around 16 years.
“I also
have free range chickens running around and my cats have
never touched one.”
Included in the list of websites
monitored by the council was TradeMe, with staff contacting
sellers directly to ensure they were compliant with regional
rules
The council also monitored other pets such as
birds and turtles because of the impact they could have on
the ecosystem if released, Meade said.
“If the
council receives a permit application for a Bengal cat, the
permit process is followed and if appropriate, the owners
will receive approval.”
The council had been
monitoring “high risk” pet sales for many years, Meade
said.
There are currently 24 exemptions issued for the
ownership of Bengal cats in Southland, with people unable to
apply for ownership on Stewart Island/Rakiura and other
offshore islands.
According to the council report,
there had been no new or concerning sales identified and no
new applications for Bengal cat
permits.
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