SPCA goes full woke – demands rats and birds “co-exist” peacefully

By
Martyn Bradbury
-
40
30

Ummmmm.

What the hell is this new woke madness?

The SPCA demands a ban on 1080 because rats and stoats are equal to native endangered species and they should be able to ‘co-exist’ in the wild???

SPCA calls for ban on 1080
The SPCA has issued a statement calling for a ban on the use of 1080, saying it causes “intense and prolonged suffering” to animals.

The organisation is “deeply concerned” over the use of 1080, it says in a statement, adding it is working to achieve change.

The SPCA does not regard the lives of one species over another. However, it does recognise there is a concern regarding the impact of “so-called ‘pest’ animals,” the statement says.

“Sometimes it is necessary to capture certain animals or manage populations of species for various reasons, including biodiversity, conservation, and sustainability.

“In these instances, methods that are proven to be humane and effective should be used.”

The statement says the welfare of all animals – whether native or introduced – should be viewed equally.

“There should be greater emphasis on looking for solutions that would enable species who cannot be completely removed, to co-exist in the environment instead.”

But Forest & Bird disagree, calling SPCA’s statement “naive”, “misinformed” and inaccurate.

“While the idea of stoats and rats peacefully coexisting with native birds sounds great, the reality is that an estimated 25 million native birds, eggs and chicks are cruelly eaten alive by introduced predators every year in New Zealand,” said the organisation’s chief executive, Kevin Hague.

“The SPCA’s position on 1080 is a blow to their credibility. It’s sad to see them promoting flawed logic”.

…I’m waiting for the SPCA to declare that rats self-identify as birds.

You can’t hold up the life of a bloody rat or stoat, both introduced pests, on par with native endangered species, that’s madness. We don’t have a shortage on this planet of bloody rats or stoats, WE DO have an enormous limited edition of local birdlife.

How exactly do the SPCA intend for the rats and birds to ‘co-exist’? Will they demand Wellington based community meetings where the rats and birds have to attend group therapy to discuss their differences?

Is the SPCA suggesting a treaty between the rats and the birds?

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

The Environmental Protection Authority has been very clear on the safety issue with their report into the 2017 use of aerial drops and found none of the hysterical claims of anti-1080 protestors stacking up.

The SPCA may as well come out and decry chemtrails, fluoridation in the water and claim global warming is a hoax.

 

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40 COMMENTS

    • Dutifully, I have prepared this short analytical list;

      – 1080 campaign: is national, is socialist, is chemical total war
      – TB: Vaccinate the Cows ?
      – Dehumanizing: opponents refused validity, not entitled to “seriousness”
      – Anti Democratic: rights to object on principle? denied
      – Unprincipled: humane principles, animal welfare? denied
      – Elitist: browbeats with scientists, judges, uses police force
      – Religious Bird Iconography: fittingly Reichy all over the money, Forest & Bird imagery, elevated bird significance mind control
      – Ulterior motive: commercial greed unlimited
      – Paradoxical: crafted loophole in Animal Welfare Act is convenient
      – Atlantean: resurrection of great lost birdy land
      – Media/Gov axis of evil: near total media domination & Goebbels method
      – Corporate/Industrial hijack: Political Parties financially dependent on
      – Bullying: uses repetition of taunts, mockery, marginalization
      – Suppression of internet commentary

      In summary, the aerial poisoning regime is a 100% certified NAZI SCIENCE ABOMINATION and the SPCA should be commended for Gandalfing the Balrog. Remember folks you are entitled to object on pure principle, do not yield your discretion to bullies. The correct solution is always, and was always, and will always be INTEGRATED ECOLOGY.

      • Here we go. The giant air filter, Doc, Doc the giant air filter dutifully filtering information through his giant IQ. See, the thing about high IQ individuals is the can always come it’s an excuse to maintain lies.

        The lie that filter boy is spinning is genociding rats, stoats and possums is associated with Nazis. Now filter boy wants to present a plan that would see rats, stoats and possums cared for and our fragile national heritage destroyed, that can not be allowed to happen.

  3. Go SPCA!..against cruelty to animals and 1080 poisoning!

    1080 smothering the country is killing our KEA to extinction ( absolutely unforgivable)

    ( no self respecting Greenie can support the destruction of NZs birdlife and insect ecosystems with systemic poisoning…only the seriously deluded trendo ignorant pseudo Greenies)

    If you are an environmentalist you should support ‘Fish and Game’…these are the real NZ environmentalists on the ground who passionately love the NZ back country and rivers

    ‘Fish and Game’ and NZF want a national referendum on 1080 blanket poisoning of New Zealand’s ecosystems

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixvo1DemwE4

    • None of which is remotely true, RB.

      If it weren’t for 1080 aerial drops, introduced mammalian pests (of which humans are probably the worst) would annihilate our bird and reptile life.

      Only where these pests have been eliminated (eg, sanctuary islands) or reduced (forests) have birdlife been given a chance to survive.

      The only things threatening Kea are introduced pests and human stupidity.

      • Currently DoCs MO fir kea is to bang on about increased nesting success from the Kahurangi study after poison, which would be fair enough if it was the whole story.
        The South Westland study including Okarito also showed improved nesting success, great buuuut completely omitted mention or data from the 7 of 9 tagged kea they killed with poison.
        http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1109/S00139/seven-of-nine-tagged-kea-killed-in-okarito-kiwi-1080-drop.htm

        What’s also interesting is DoCs main kea scientists opinion in private aired under official information act, being considerably less golden their assessment of kea safety to 1080 aerial poison:
        https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/82491117/benefits-to-kea-from-1080-operations-uncertain

        “In their draft paper Kemp and van Klink used data from 10 aerial 1080 sites, between 2008 and 2013, where 150 kea were radio-tagged. Twenty kea died of poisoning at three sites –including at Otira in 2013, where bird repellent was used.”

        So no pests and dumb people aren’t the only threat, average 13 percent adult mortality to aerial 1080 is a concern.

      • Frank…can you prove…”If it weren’t for 1080 aerial drops, introduced mammalian pests (of which humans are probably the worst) would annihilate our bird and reptile life”…to be a truthful and factual statement. 1080 was first introduced in 1964. 55 years later and they’re still dropping this poison. Poison doesn’t just magically disappear.

  5. I’m with you on this few years back with dog and puppies abandoned and a couple of years back with 3-4 cats the SPCA would do nothing about being notified of this, you could barely get advice from them let alone help with rehoming. The dogs were only a couple of months away from multiplying from six, seven incl the mother, into a couple of dozen left with no control.
    If you find such a situation they tell you to try to find “homes” which only increases the issue if they are not spayed or neutered, and also vaccinated before even considering handing them on to other “homes” where the cycle will continue.
    Fortunately after quite some stress and losts of concerted determination it turned out OK, very OK – the only alternative when they gave no help was that euthanising them looked to be the kindest option on the horizon.
    It shocks me that the SPCA can not get that every animal is not “for this world” letting them starve or suffer ill-treatment or lack of care is nothing less than cruel. You should see the looks when I avoid their fundraisers, I won’t go near them with a barge pole ever again until they wake up and face facts.

    • Rapunzel, you might have had a bit of bad luck with the SPCA. The only times (3) when I’ve accessed the SPCA, they’ve been ok.

      Twice with feral cats, including one cat with a litter of stumbling little blind newborns hiding under my house – which a brave woman came and caught – and recently with a mangy hedgehog minus its bristles, which they asked me to drop off at the nearby vet saying that they’d collect it from there. I did and they did.

      Many/most charity collectors nowadays are volunteers – service groups – lovely school kids – but when one does actually contribute – like down the local mall – it is worth it for the sometimes sheer unmitigated display of public joy and gratitude – most people walk on by.

      • It felt like more than bad luck and it continued when, rather than ring, I went in and pleaded for help to be told to try and find homes.
        That basic desperation kicked in then was not to their credit, luckily I had some contacts through having our own pets and due to some very kind people it was OK. Sorry but that is my experience and cold hard fact.

  6. SPCA are spokespeople for animal cruelty and are simply speaking on topic. I guess we can’t slur them as anti vaccers or conspiracy theorists so they will have to be “woke” instead. Anything to shut down the viewpoint of people who don’t like aerial 1080 poison.

    Forest and Bird in their arrogance continue to alienate, their brand of “woke” moralising deserves calling out if anyone does. Smug middle class city dwelling puritans.
    Here they are lying about battle for the birds saying mast years are every 15 years:
    http://www.1080facts.co.nz/battle-for-our-birds.html
    Turns out masts are every 1-2 years so more poison needed, agree or be branded a nutter conspiracy theorist or whatever label suits to shut debate down.
    Wankers.

      • A Dave Hansford opinion piece eh Tom, he of no scientific background and DoC employ, rabidly pro 1080, further polarising the debate away from the needed more nuanced pest solution of which 1080 is a part.
        Read his spray and count the adjectives and hyperbole.

        So the SPCA says 1080 is inhumane, what is your evidence to disprove that?

        • Keepcalm, the anti-1080ers do themselves no favours with their misinformation, threats, and lies. Their recent “theatre” on the steps of Parliament with dead native birds THAT WERE NOT KILLED BY 1080, shows the deceptikn they are capable of.

          Isthat the sort of fanatics you want to mix with?

          It’s fairly clear to any clear thinking person thatwith 1080 our forests would be over run with rats, possums, and stoats and that would destroy our native bird life.

          Is that your preferred choice?

          It’s noteworthy that the anti-1080 lobbyists are a generated creature of the hunting lobby group which was opposed to 1080 drops because it threatened their “sport” of shooting animals for fun.

          That’s where the anti 1080 movement sprang from, “useful idiots” exploited by animal hunters.

          Those are their priorities, even if it means the extinction of our native birdlife on mainland New Zealand.

  7. Dutifully, I have prepared this short analytical list;

    – 1080 campaign: is national, is socialist, is chemical total war
    – TB: Vaccinate the Cows ?
    – Dehumanizing: opponents refused validity, not entitled to “seriousness”
    – Anti Democratic: rights to object on principle? denied
    – Unprincipled: humane principles, animal welfare? denied
    – Elitist: browbeats with scientists, judges, uses police force
    – Religious Bird Iconography: fittingly Reichy all over the money, Forest & Bird imagery, elevated bird significance mind control
    – Ulterior motive: commercial greed unlimited
    – Paradoxical: crafted loophole in Animal Welfare Act is convenient
    – Atlantean: resurrection of great lost birdy land
    – Media/Gov axis of evil: near total media domination & Goebbels method
    – Corporate/Industrial hijack: Political Parties financially dependent on
    – Bullying: uses repetition of taunts, mockery, marginalization
    – Suppression of internet commentary

    In summary, the aerial poisoning regime is a 100% certified NAZI SCIENCE ABOMINATION and the SPCA should be commended for Gandalfing the Balrog. Remember folks you are entitled to object on pure principle, do not yield your discretion to bullies. The correct solution is always, and was always, and will always be INTEGRATED ECOLOGY.

  8. I heard SPCA chief scientific officer, Dr Arnja Dale, on Radio NZ today. Her interview and responses were poor, to put it mildly.

    SPCA chief scientific officer Dr Arnja Dale initially told Summer Report on Wednesday the SPCA did not want a ban on 1080 and was instead “opposed to toxin use”.

    But when challenged, she confirmed that the organisation did want a ban on 1080 and all other poisons currently used for pest control.

    ref: https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/379746/spca-wants-humane-alternatives-to-1080-poison-for-pest-control

    The best I can say for the SPCA on this issue alone is that they are sadly misguided.

    • Dr Arnja Dale

      We are very lucky to have Arnja as prior to joining the SPCA, she was a Senior Lecturer in Animal Welfare at Unitec Institution of Technology where she ran the Animal Welfare Investigations programme. She also has a degree in Zoology, a Masters in Ecology, a Masters in Animal Welfare and a PhD in canine welfare.

      Sounds like she’s limited to what she can say because of the institution she’s employed by.

      And I’m now left wondering if the SPCA employed her to give credence to their ideological claptrap.

        • I heard her on RNZ as well, Keepcalm. She obfuscated. She knows damn well that the immediate banning of 1080 would lead to the wholesale extinction of most birdlife on mainland NZ. As a scientist she should know this.

          • Yup, well, I wonder how many people are bribed to have certain opinions. How much do you have to get paid to pump trash? What’s crazy is enough people are either so naive or so “flexible” with their beliefs that they soon believe that their trash is gold.

          • Wholesale extinction of most bird life without 1080? Wow. Someone has been drinking the Koolaid.
            That would be a prime example of a lie from the pro 1080 camp.
            Plenty of birds and native birds are doing just fine. By no means all.
            By using such hyperbole the debate is distorted to be 1080 good, any questions bad.

            • New Zealand has the largest high altitude non predatory rainforest in the world. It’s eco-system evolved with out apex predictors except for bird life. With out the birds there’s no way for the habitats to replenish its tree stocks. Take one tree out and you’ve not only destroyed a habitat you’ve killed hundreds of species that rely on the forests. Apologies keep calm, I’v looked at your list of negatives and they are enormous.

              Could try it with myself and list the things that i can’t do. Can’t perform brain surgery, can’t manage a workforce over 10,000. If we list the things we can’t do it’s almost unlimited. It’s a completely worthless exercise.

          • Priss:
            > the immediate banning of 1080 would lead to the wholesale extinction of most birdlife on mainland NZ

            You seem very confident about this. Do you have scientific credentials relevant to this field? If not, can you give a source for an article or scientific paper written by someone who does, that provides the evidence underlying this conclusion?

            Whoever is pumping out these PR key messages that everyone who opposes 1080 is scientifically illiterate, and a useful idiot of the hunting lobby, is wrong, and most likely knows it. Someone with more relevant scientific credentials than either of us is Dr Sean Weaver, a senior lecturer at the School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, and a veteran of the NFA campaign against Timberlands in the 1990s. He appears in the documentary ‘Poisoning Paradise’ (as does DOC entomologist Mike Meads), and has published a number of scientific papers questioning the safety and efficacy of 1080, while trying to take a balanced approach. Here’s an op-ed he wrote on the subject:
            https://www.noted.co.nz/archive/listener-nz-2007/bitter-pill/

            My scientific credentials are limited to a few 100-level undergrad ecology papers. This is supplemented by the various things I’ve read during more than 20 years as an environmental activist, supporting direct action campaigns like Native Forest Action (NFA), Save Happy Valley (I wrote an ecology report on this area for one of my ecology papers), Project Karangahake, and Oil-Free Otago. I’ve been collecting information about 1080 here, trying to fairly represent all sides of the debate:
            https://www.coactivate.org/projects/drillingfortruth/1080/

            A few thoughts. Given that there have been rats and dogs (and possibly pigs) in Aotearoa for around 700 years (at least), but serious species decline began only after scorched-earth European style farming, habitat loss seems to be a much more significant cause of native species decline than mammalian predators. Also, regardless of which population stressor is the most damaging, “mainland island” sanctuaries (like Zealandia and Orokunui) and have been much more effective at revitalizing populations than 1080 drops, with the bonus effect of not killing significant numbers of the very birds we’re trying to save. Finally, I don’t often hear any acknowledgement that introduced predators prey on each other, as well as native species, and that uneven dieoff can result in substitution effects. For example, if 1080 kills all of the rats and mice in an area, but not the possums, those possums will replace any rodents they would have eaten with more birds.

            Also, there are a few things that a left-wing analysis of this issues ought to be taking into account:
            * Preventing mining of predator-free habitat areas would surely help threatened species, yet even as they increased funding for 1080 drops, National allowed open cast coal mining activity to increase on scheduled conservation land on the Denniston Plateau, including Happy Valley.
            * public funding for 1080 drops was massively increased under a John Key/ National regime that wrote the book on handing out corporate welfare.
            * 1080 drops are a multi-million dollar business, for multiple industries, including helicopter companies, 1080 manufacturers and distributors (including SOE ‘Animal Control Products’ according to a 2015 Dom Post article by Anthony Hubbard), and the suppliers of the fluoride wastes from various industries from which 1080 is made. Plus all the folks on 6 figure salaries working for QUANGOs like OSPRI and TBFree. All thriving on public money, while families live in tents.
            * Key’s National regime was so supportive of the environmental movement and its goals, that under their watch, government departments and SOEs massively increased their use of corporate detective companies to spy on green groups.
            * the demonization of anti-1080 protesters as “extremists”, and prone to destruction and violence, is the same tale they spin about all green direct action campaigns. Why is anyone taking this strategic smearing at face value? What evidence is there for any of the accusations lobbed at anti-1080 protestors?
            * the “1080: The Facts” website was a joint creation of Forest and Bird and those well-know champions of environmental protection and the public interest, Federated Farmers.

            Maybe Kevin Hague was right in his piece on the Spinoff, maybe there is no other way to save threatened species. Maybe the rewards are worth the costs. But surely we can have a mature debate about the very real cons of 1080, based on the facts and research available, rather than engaging in petty name-calling?

            • +100 DANYL STRYPE….well said and some good points

              ….”1080 drops are a multi-million dollar business”…there needs to be a public open sharing of knowledge about the 1080 business

              eg a public Commission of Inquiry into the business of 1080 eg

              … shareholders ?
              …politician involvements?
              …military?
              …and whether 1080 is exported surreptitiously and to whom, which countries and for what purposes?
              …is it being used as a weapon of war?
              …is NZ environment being used as a cover for the manufacture?

              • No, there doesn’t need to be a commission of inquiry. Commissions of inquiry is the gospel of drunks, imbeciles and con-artists who hate the fact that policy and science is beyond them.
                No, there doesn’t need to be a commission of inquiry. Commissions of inquiry is the gospel of drunks, imbeciles and con-artists who hate the fact that policy and science is beyond them.

                At this point removing rats, stoats and possums can only be a good thing. However I’m going to say that we’re likely really far off from manipulating New Zealand’s biosphere in such a manner to become much better as a native habitat.

                The most probable way we would see the extermination of pests, at least at first and not accounting for a technological leap would be just using aerial 1080.

          • Pal, how’s it going. Anyway, starting off with a bit of some one else research or all of it, is a good way to start out. It’s like what ever, as a product some people might not know all of the contents to but this is obviously fine. But you do give a little insight into radicalism. I mean Dr Sean Weaver is way more coherent than the rest of the anti-1080. He’s like way down here… Stable as and every one else is like way up here*** freaking right out. Which the anti1080 guys, and girls need to address.

            But he does give inaccurate detail. He really does over estimate the value placed on rats, ect. The argument has always been that bird life was down 80%, that was on conservation land, not including desertification farm land, so the total number, not the percentage is a lot higher than what DOC stated.

            As some one who’ve volunteered for DOC on many irradiation programmes, all involving helicopters. There are windows of opportunity, for instances before breeding season, to really get the numbers down. It’s about this question of New Zealand’s ecology being to big to fail. If pest populations become to big then the onus lies on the tax payer, the fact is when possum numbers become to big they become a systemic risk.

            While 1080 is considered chemical warfare, it is by no means considered a plague against New Zealand’s Native Wild Life.

    • The only way 1080 use is justified is through a financial lens.
      We seem to have drunk the neo liberal cordial – 1080 TINA.
      Made easier by the likes of simplifying this to native bird good, rat, opossum, mustelids bad.

      It is an unnecessarily cruel, painful way for any animal to die.

      Lazy writing to compare a 1080 opponent to anti vaxxers and chem tribalists.

      • +100 GSAYS… “It is an unnecessarily cruel, painful way for any animal to die.”

        Yes and it is driving to extinction birds like the Kea

        …makes you wonder how many of these so-called Greens would recognise a Kea or go back country

        Makes you wonder if any of these so -called Greens ever read

        Rachel Carson’s ‘Silent Spring’?….somehow I doubt it !

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Spring

  9. Some time ago I realised that I knew little about 1080. I then read a number of publications and spoke to various people, many of whom are involved in maintaining trap lines.
    I have come to realise, while spreading poison anywhere is not a great idea, at present there is no viable alternative. What I have also come to realise is that so many anti 1080 people have closed minds and simply do not listen to logic or reasoned argument. It does their credibility no good at all.

    • Late a few nights ago, turning to overnight talkback in an attempt to induce sleepiness, a fellow rang, made some bland comment about whatever was the topic in question, and then suddenly launched into a tirade against newstalk-ZB because their call-in phone number was 80 1080, which he took as proof they they were pro-1080!!! Really, you couldn’t make that up.

  10. Go and check out the SPCA NZ Facebook page for how this is playing. Overwhelmingly positive response by the public to the SPCA statement despite the last few days of stuff and other media running an obvious DoC pro 1080 media blitz.

    Would love to see a genuinely neutral study on public support for aerial 1080, outside the closed room Chardonnay sippers breathing the same air, the general public is not giving social license freely on this, it’s being rammed down people’s throats and they don’t like it and for all sorts of reasons.

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