The owner of a server and the breeder of Cats de Bengala and Savannah in the center of BC, Okanagan, is raising concerns about the province of the province to prohibit the reproduction, sale and future property of all exotic and non -domestic cats, including servals, ticelots and Wildcats European.
In a press release on Tuesday, the province said animals would be designated as “controlled alien species”, a long list that includes, among others, animals such as giraffes, hyenas, jaguars and polar bears.
But Sonu De’Cruze said it would be more appropriate to regulate the breeders and owners and require permits instead of prohibiting exotic cats completely.
De’Cruze has an eight -year -old serval called Uzi, whom he described as “charming”, but needs a lot of work.
He has spent thousands of dollars on enclosures, both indoors and abroad, so that Uzi can wander. She changes her environment regularly to combat boredom, and he has a giant cat wheel for walking, like people walking on a running tape, De’Cruze said.
It also repairs about $ 700 every month in food: a mixture of croquettes, raw meat and vitamins and supplements.
“We have had to be very particular about his diet since he was quite young, making sure he was receiving all the right nutrition,” he said.
De’Cruze undertakes to own his serval, so much that he does not take vacations, and when she and her husband have to go to emergencies, there are a few selected people they call to take care of Uzi.
It is a lot.
And it is something that De’Cruze realizes is not for everyone, and said that it probably shouldn’t be.
But, he said, a prohibition of cats can completely be too quick.
He is concerned that the prohibition forces “underground” breeders and owners, and that these cats will not receive adequate attention because the owners will be afraid to take them to the veterinarian.
“It will be worse for these cats, if people are forced to do everything in secret.”
De’Cruze also generates Bengal and Savannah cats. While none of the races was specifically mentioned in the release of the province, they are often grouped with those that were.
Not only does he worry that he cannot possess servers in the future, but also worries his business.
“I am sitting at Limbo right now, hoping to see what happens.”
BC Exotic Cat Breederine Joyal said in an email to CBC News that it is disconsolate by the proposal of this prohibition.
“It’s a sad situation,” said Joyal. “I understand the need for regulation, but I would like the approach to focus on education and responsible property, not to punish animals themselves.”
She agreed with De’Cruze that the exotic property of cats is not for everyone.
“When they are raised correctly, they can become affectionate, loyal and truly extraordinary companions.”
The lawyer wants to see the expanded prohibition
Lawyer Rebeka Breder, who specializes in the Animal Law, said that while he understands why someone would want to have an exotic cat, “there is absolutely no need.”
“The conclusion is that they suffer in captivity,” he said. “When an exotic animal, when a wild animal or an animal that is supposed to be wild still has in its genes and instincts to travel hundreds of kilometers and have a wide territory and have a wide variety of different things that eat, their well -being needs simply cannot be satisfied in a local environment.”
Breder wants to see the prohibition extended to other animals, such as Boa Constricts.
The BC SPCA has been an open supporter of an exotic cats ban, encouraging British Colombians to sign their request asking for the regulation of all exotic animals.
The organization said cats are a risk of public security.
Two servals escaped a breeder on Vancouver Island in 2022, and killed a domestic cat and multiple domestic ducks before being captured, the organization said.
“The people were really scared,” said BC Spca scientific director, Sara Dubois, to CBC News. “They did not want their children to walk to the school bus because again, these are large, large animals and lanky, and could be defensively aggressive.”
Additional consideration
De’Cruze believes that the prohibition proposal is due to when, in 2019, the SPCA seized 13 servants of a breeder near Kamloop, BC, after they were found living in “horrible conditions.” At that time, the SPCA said that the idea that these cats live in captivity was “disturbing enough”, much less in lower quality conditions.
On July 9, the SPCA confirmed in an email to CBC News that never presented charges in that case.
“People who really caused the problem are first walking freely,” De’Cruze said. “Now everyone else is being penalized.”
De’Cruze expects a little more consideration to enter the ban.
While current owners could keep their cats until their death whenever they request free permits, De’Cruze hopes that when Uzi passes, she can get another serval.
“We would like to have the option of having another yes, at that time of our life, we know that we can provide the same level of attention we provide to our cat, Uzi.”
