Well, not to burst your bubble but in Spain, a national law will come into effect tomorrow declaring that all pet cats must be sterilized. And you know that once the mice conquer Spain they won't stop there...
Why they are sterilizing the cats and not the mosquitoes and the cockroaches is beyond me. Cats can't even fly!
In most places, feral cats are an invasive species that do great harm to local wildlife, especially bird populations. I know it is possible to be a responsible pet owner who keeps the cat indoors, but many don't. This law may be poor answer to the problem (or even have negative unintended consequences) but I'm glad people somewhere are starting to take a stand.
Sure, but I really don't think that's the reason for why the law was introduced in this case.
The reason cats are being sterilized is, supposedly, "to avoid indiscriminate reproduction and possible abandonment" of the cats themselves.
The law is called "Animal welfare law" and it's only about pets and their owners. It has nothing to do with endangered or invasive species or even any other type of environmental concern.
The new law introduces quite a few other rules as well: you can't leave your dog alone on the street (e.g. tied to a street lamp while you enter a shop), you can't leave your dog alone on a balcony or in a car, you can't leave your dog alone for 24 hours anywhere, mandatory pet owner course if you have a dog -- although the Spanish article says it's for all pet owners, even birds -- that said, currently the course is postponed because they couldn't prepare it on time; mandatory insurance for your dog, steep fines for breaking these rules, etc.
Working dogs are exempt from these rules. Not only are they being discriminated, but they also don't have a right to minimum wage despite having a job.
