Non-Native Wild Animals (Feral) were brought to Australia by Europeans as domestic animals and then abandoned as their usefulness ceased, to survive or starve as they could. Most non-native wild animal species have been in this country for 200 years, but the Cat and the Dingo for much longer. The Cat first arrived via the early trading ships more than 500 years ago. The Dingo has been a resident for a minimum of 3000 years and probably up to 8000 years.