Would you kill your pet if ordered to by the gov't?

[JackiePlace]

I read in the news this morning that at the beginning of the Covid crisis the gov't considered ordering the culling of all domestic cats in order to prevent the spread of Covid. This idea was later abandoned after it was proven that cats couldn't transmit Covid to humans.
AIBU to think that this would have caused a mass uprising? We are a nation of animal lovers, after all. Or would people have accepted it as they did some of the other draconian regulations (not visiting dying relatives, etc).

www.lbc.co.uk/news/govt-cat-cull-covid-pandemic/

Agreed. Farmers don’t just see their livestock as a commodity otherwise they’d not care about their quality of life. The suicide rate among farmers is pretty high.

Agree with this. And I think it became obvious very early on that the government were completely incompetent and grasping at straws with their handling of... Well, all of it.

You think I'm going to let you kill my cat on the whims of an incompetent govt? Hell no.

I'd have locked her indoors. She doesn't go out much and any nosey neighbours would be told we'd already complied and had her PTS.

I have to say though, the public wouldn't have rioted. Not then anyway. The riots would have come like now when it was "leaked" that their conclusions were wrong and people killed their cats for nothing.

It's quite obvious this poster isn't really an animal person

What I don't understand about this 'news' item and therefore take any reporting of this type with a large pinch of salt is why cats? Cats can be kept in doors if necessary therefore removing the potential issue. Why was a cull on dogs not proposed as dogs generally have to taken for a walk 3-4 times a day?
Im pretty sure there was covid found in cats but no dogs were found with it (I have cats and a dog so I’m not taking sides!)

No chance my cats are part of our family. They would have been grounded and kept in like we were though not too happy about it as they like hunting.

No but the data didn't persuad me that the lockdowns were necessary or that the first needed to be as long as it was.

I am still surprised so many people observed the lockdowns and so few didn't stampede care homes to see their elderly parents. I'd have endeavoured to break mine out of said care home.

To be honest, after working in a rescue kennel, I actually agree with this statement.

If a dog/cat has not been rehomed after a certain length of time, I honestly think being PTS is kinder for them.

A lot of pets struggle staying in kennels for months at a time. It changes them mentally and they become neurotic to the point where they can’t be rehomed.

There was a dog where I worked who had been there for years. He wasn’t rehomable at all and was actually dangerous to us staff when it came to putting him back in the kennel.

We all agreed he would be better off being pts…until the husband intervened and said he would deal with him. Fine, you do it. It was so cruel.

He was kept in a small outdoor pen with a kennel for shelter and that was it. If the husband was around he would take him for a walk, and then straight back into the kennel he went.

I left that place and it has long since closed but I wonder what happened to him

No I wouldn't.

Absolutely no way would I have let anyone kill my cat! Or my dogs or my rabbit!
I'd fight it with everything I've got.
Although I'm not one of those who dress their pets up etc, they are my family and I adore them.

So I'm a vet nurse. What I saw during the pandemic was truly awful for pet owners. If their pet was ill and had to be pts, the owner didn't get to stay with them. It was so cold and unfeeling and it left me very bitter about the whole thing.

I've never had covid and I've never been vaccinated, I have a compromised immune system. I wore a mask mainly to stop others moaning and stayed away from my elderly mother other than to hand her in her shopping for 3 months. She was the same. Serious heart condition, never had covid and never been vaccinated.

There is not a chance that I'd pts my cats because some wank in government ordered me to and if someone tried to do it then they'd be sorry. So yeah I'd basically take a bullet for my cats.

They should have started with the partying politicians, and people who wore their masks under their nose.

No

Absolute no chance. I’d rather die myself.

No.

My cat is an indoor cat anyway, but even if he wasn't I would not have complied.

Having seen some of the hysteria and clamouring for more and harder lockdown and social distancing/isolation measures from a large cohort of mumsnetters on here during even the latter stages of the pandemic period I'm sure that many would have done this though. And then demanded the same for dogs.

Because those who urged caution or even just wanted to discuss the long term effects on society were branded as stupid, selfish 'killers'.

No way! Makes very little sense either, though I would have kept my two cats inside had it been proven they did spread it - mainly for fear of other people taking it into their own hands. We stopped petting other cats in the streets when covid hit due to the reports they could carry it.

I think unfortunately more people than we like to think would have complied if told to.

I don’t own a cat but wouldn’t have let anyone kill my dog and I would have told my family to protect their cats too. Even if it meant keeping them inside. It’s nonsense anyway because how would an animal spread an illness if they aren’t exposed?

People complied with lots of nonsense during Covid tho. Including myself, as I was convinced if I got it when pregnant I would die. I was too scared to get any help with my newborn and we both early died. My grandad died alone. The rules make me feel sick to think about now and I still struggle with the trauma of it all. I honestly wish I hadn’t been in the UK during Covid as it’s altered my anxiety levels for good.

Not a chance.
And I would attack anyone who tried.

I have to say though, the public wouldn't have rioted. Not then anyway. The riots would have come like now when it was "leaked" that their conclusions were wrong and people killed their cats for nothing.

I think this as well - but then populations tend to get more compliant and look to leaders in times of crisis or threat - so many would go along.

Even if you didn't hiding cats from neighbours is quiet a feat - food would have to be bought or hope buying large quantities while still possible could be done and cats kept away from windows and doors or good reasons for obscuring then you'd have to hope no need for vet in foreseeable future - everyone in house would have to watch what they said as well - the practicalities get quite hard quickly.

I don't think I would have for covid - they are a huge positive in my life and a commitment I take extremely seriously but I can't say no situation could arise where I wouldn't feel forced to comply.

Yes, this describes me also

Because those are the people that live here and therefore have to be exposed to my cat!

No they would have had to take me first before they could get to my dog (much better than most humans tbh)

NO WAY!!!!

My cats are indoor anyway.

Loads of people think its unreasonable but how many of have their dog or cat vaccinated against rabies? The risk of them catching rabies is extremely low, but if rabies is detected in an animal you have been in contact with, the police can order your pet is destroyed.

Not a chance in hell. My Nan hid her dog in London at the start of WW2 when they were all ordered to do it then. I would have done the same.

Imagine the fun those authoritarians who enjoyed reporting their neighbours for 'wrong doing' would have had, when they got to squeal on people for hoarding their beloved family pet.