While I understand that both cats and dogs have impacted traditional
wildlife, one needs to bear in mind that it is the owners of these
animals who are at fault for allowing this to occur.

(1) because they allow the animal in question to roam and (2) because
they allow their pets to breed with abandon.

Let us also not forget to mention the impact human civilization has had
on wildlife numbers.

In my experience, people are far too quick to reach for their gun
without considering what the real source of the problem is.

Killing the creature in question does not solve the problem, just the
immediate symptom.

I have also noted that many of those that I have known that shoot
whatever crosses their property also seem to allow their own dogs and
cats to roam without regard for their neighbors. In one case many years
ago, a neighbor shot the cat of an older woman which had escaped from
her home. This neighbor had several black Labs that roamed the
neighborhood freely making a nusiance of themselves. One day the two
dogs did not come home. Years later I learned from her son that the old
lady had shot and buried the dogs in her garden in revenge for her
cat's untimely death.

TMT