Wilderness Policy

400,000 domestic cats every year killed by hunters – Nature does not need us!

400,000 domestic cats and 60,000 dogs killed every year in Germany alone!

According to different sources based upon the regular reports of the German hunting associations, approximately 400.000 domestic cats and more than 60.000 dogs get killed by hunters every year. This means that every day more than 1000 domestic cats and 170 dogs get shot on average by official licensed german hunters. The number for Austria are similarly being estimated at 30.000 cats and dogs every year or more than 80 a day. These numbers are surprisingly high and for most people shocking.

For nature conservationist dedicated to the return of wolves, bears, otters, beavers and other endangered species these number are sobering and often disillusioning. It therefore comes as no surprise to anyone, that in a society which accepts the killing of domestic animals at such a high rate, that the killing of wolves and others protected animals is fully accepted and supported.

We should really start to question, why we as a civilised society are so in love with hunting. The argument that nature needs our assistance since our ancestors disturbed the ecological equilibrium by killing the predators is ad absurdum since we are preventing the return of these predators by hunting them as well. Two wrongs do nat make it right.

If we already have such difficulties with wildlife, it becomes obvious how difficult it is for society to accept Wilderness. Wilderness is the epitome of nature without human intervention or extraction. Wilderness is often called “Self-Willed” land. It is an area that only exists where humans stop to intervene with the natural processes and let nature do what it does best – thrive!. At virtually every meeting we have been at, we came across scientist, nature conservationists, bureaucrats and many other professions claiming, that nature and its wildlife can only survive if we human intervene and steer the processes. They have the same arguments that the hunting associations have: Without us, nature is worse of and nature needs us!

Watch this video to understand that these arguments are self-defying and contradict the basic understanding what nature is. Nature does not need us – we need nature!


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4 thoughts on “400,000 domestic cats every year killed by hunters – Nature does not need us!

  • I agree that nature does not require us if we let her go her way.
    Domestic dogs and cats are nothing natural, and I do not think that these animals belong to nature in which they have come because of our negligence.
    The killing of domesticated cats and dogs by hunters does not mean that these people will simply kill all protected animals.
    The killing of domesticated animals is often done by hunters, with the intention of shooting more hunting wildlife themselves. Hunting by dogs and cats is often at the expense of hunting wildlife.

  • Yes, I agree; we have been mixing things up to the extreme.
    7 billion people claiming their space is far too much.
    We need to step back and leave many areas alone; Half the earth, as E. Wilson wrote in his book.
    Hands off, but the areas need to be big enough and have no fences …..

  • Hi

    Are you sure Nature needs us? We are of the opinion that nature does not need us, but that we need nature… just like the film states: Nature was there before us and will be here after us!

  • Both need each other. We are part of nature, nothing more and nothing else.

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