Maree Scammell

Wow, this week turned a single lost and found social media post into an interesting barrage of comments, which prompted me to reach out.

Having a cat vs providing much appreciated conservation areas is a hot topic.

Cat lover I am and many I have had. However, I also acknowledge I am responsible for the welfare of my feline friends.

It is my responsibility to keep them contained on my property if I want them to be protected from harm forever.

You never truly own a cat; they own you, and if they want to leave, they will.

Am I sad my cat is not here? Heck, yes. I listen every time the cat door moves. I look constantly out the window. I’m still calling her.

However not far from where I live is a wildlife refuge, apparently. I have been made aware of this by an early morning private message from an upset pest controller.

Having been personally involved in pest control in Rotorua and surrounding areas in the late 80s early 90s, I appreciate the work that goes into this.

I also accept anything in traps is fair game (going back to it is my responsibility to protect and contain my pet).

However, I would expect that the method of communicating and educating people of the importance of having this refuge in our area be more professional and have boundaries for contacting people.

Early morning private, degrading, messages are not, in my opinion, a great method of education.

I have reached out to the pest controller at his workplace in hope that we may sit down together and brainstorm a solution to how we can reside together with different pathways.

I would love to see pet scanners used with the trapping programme, so pets can be returned in some way shape or form.

I am also an ex-farmer and reality is, not everything is going to live forever, but having a body back is comforting and provides closure.

Perhaps we could place restrictions on households building near wildlife areas not to include predatory pets?

So many questions and so many ideas could be spoken.

My reason to write was the astonishment at how the comments quickly diverted from a missing cat to hating a person doing their job.

Yes, they delivered their message to me incorrectly and perhaps they need workplace training in communication.

But personal attacks should not be part of our chats, solutions should be.

To the pest controller concerned, be proud of your work. Don’t hide behind a made-up name.

Start advertising your work of what birds you are saving and what’s killing them. Show us the stats of what’s in your traps regularly.

Educate our community so we can live together harmoniously, not with anger. Take ownership of your hard work to restore our beautiful coastal environment.

To the cat owners of Ōpōtiki, if you don’t contain your cat you must gamble with its outcome if it does not return.

It’s sad, very sad, but it’s called being responsible. Our town has a horrendous population of cats that are not cared for adequately and these are the ones that give our much-loved pets a bad name.

Let’s focus on the problem, not blame.