A South Australian bow hunter has become the target of an online global hate campaign after he posted photos of dead feral cats online. Key points:
Bow hunter's personal details published online
Receives death threats to 'skin' him
Federal Government to cull two million feral cats by 2020
Zach Slattery, 22, has received thousands of abusive messages, including death threats.
His personal details were published online and police have been called to his house since he posted the photos at Christmas time last year.
"[People] were threatening to kill me," Mr Slattery said.
"I've had death threats, like people coming to shoot me, hang me, skin me, and use me as a bathroom rug."
Feral cats in Australia are estimated to kill millions of native animals each day.
The devastating havoc they wreak has led to the extinction of dozens of native mammals and prompted the Federal Government to declare war on the cats, aiming to kill two million by 2020.
Instead of praise, however, Mr Slattery has been accused of animal cruelty.
He said killing feral cats was a public service and the abuse he received came from ignorance.
"It's just that some people don't understand the effort and the shots we make are 100 per cent humane, 99 per cent of the time," he said.
"With a bow it's quite sudden. You're going for shock and blood loss, so it's quite quick."
Mr Slattery allowed the ABC's 7.30 program to accompany him on a hunt for feral cats on South Australia's Kangaroo Island.
The island's estimated 5,000 feral cats wreak havoc on the native fauna and spread disease to livestock.
More than 50 native species on the island are under threat.
But the shots Mr Slattery and his fellow hunter fired at three feral cats over the course of an afternoon did little to support his case.
It's not so much that it [a feral cat] takes longer to die. It's just that they'll go somewhere where they can quickly hide.
Bow hunter Zach Slattery
Two shots missed altogether, and one cat was shot twice before disappearing, still alive, into thick scrub.
The hunters spent the next 30 minutes looking for what they thought would be a dead cat, but found nothing.
Mr Slattery rejected criticisms that bow hunting was inhumane, and that animals could take longer to die than other culling methods.
"It's not so much that it takes longer to die," he said.
"It's just that they'll go somewhere where they can just quickly hide."
Mr Slattery remained confident the animal was dead, despite not being able to find the body.
"It'd be well and truly expired by now. It's just [a question of] trying to find it under the thicket."
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals spokesperson Claire Fryer said she did not support the cull, especially if cats were shot with a bow and arrow.
"The cat is injured and not killed, and obviously is going to be suffering from those injuries and may well die later on from those injuries after a lot of pain and lingering suffering," she said.
"That's not providing any kind of solution to the issues facing endangered animals." Government draws on shooting association to cull feral cats
One organisation determined to put a dent in the country's feral cat population is the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (SSAA).
The shooting of feral cats is, in fact, an unpleasant necessity.
SSAA South Australia president David Handyside
SSAA South Australia president David Handyside distanced himself from the style of hunting promoted by Mr Slattery.
"I can only say that we applaud anybody who is attempting to reduce the feral cat population, however, what we do is efficient," he said.
SSAA sends its best shooters to cull feral cats across the country and are a vital part of the Government's goal to cull two million cats by 2020.
"The shooting of feral cats is, in fact, an unpleasant necessity," he said.
"It certainly matters that all dispatching of cats is done in a humane fashion, and that any form of shooting, whether with a rifle or a bow, requires exceptional skill."
PHOTO: Zach Slattery takes aim with his compound bow on Kangaroo Island.(ABC News: Alex Mann)
PHOTO: Aaron Wilksch aims to kill a large feral cat on Kangaroo Island, where the animals are responsible for killing and maiming significant numbers native of wildlife.(ABC News)
PHOTO: Zach Slattery and Aaron Wilksch hunting feral cats in Kangaroo Island.(ABC News: Alex Mann)
