Latest News

Add My News • Search Old News

Gippsland › Latest news › Bass Coast Local News

Council Has A Plan For Animals

Bass Coast Shire Council’s Domestic Animal Management Plan 2008-2010 was adopted at the October Meeting.

By Bass Coast Shire Council - 24th October 2008 - Back to News

The purpose of the Management Plan is to promote and encourage responsible pet ownership, concentrating on the issues set out in the Domestic (feral & nuisance) Animals Act 1994. The Plan was developed in consultation with the community.

Council’s Community Safety Rangers Team Leader, Kaye Hall, said the document will help Council achieve a professional, consistent and proactive approach to dealing with domestic animals.

"We estimate there are over 12,000 dogs and 8,000 cats in the Shire," said Ms Hall.

"With that number of animals, it is very important that Council has a clear and well organised approach to dealing with animals.

"We also need to provide clear guidelines for pet owners."

Ms Hall said the Plan focused on educating and encouraging responsible pet ownership.

"There is much more to managing this issue than collecting stray animals and making sure people register their pets," explained Ms Hall.

"We now have set strategies in place to help educate people on how to care for their animals and how to keep them healthy.

"It is important to let people know that being a responsible owner means keeping your dog on a lead and cleaning up after them in public places, as well as registering and micro chipping them."

Ms Hall said by educating people on how and when they needed to control their pets, the risk of dog attacks would be minimised. A concerted effort to ensure all animals were registered would also help to identify dangerous, menacing and restricted dog breeds.

"It is a requirement under State law that all dogs and cats are registered," explained Ms Hall.

"Fines do apply and our Community Safety rangers are undertaking pet audits across the Shire to check for unregistered animals."

The Domestic Animal Management Plan also introduces compulsory desexing of any new registered cats.

"This is not aimed at cat breeders. Our aim here is to cut back the number of feral cats in the Shire," said Ms Hall.

"Feral animals can interfere with our wildlife and are often a real nuisance to residents.

"Already this year litters of unwanted kittens have been dumped. In one instance, kittens had been left in a plastic bag at the tip," Ms Hall continued.

"Fortunately our rangers found the kittens and managed to rehouse them. But in many instances, the outcome is not so happy."

Ms Hall said the Management Plan would help Council rehouse unwanted animals and reduce the number who needed to be euthanized.

"Council approved an upgrade of the cat and dog pound, which will give us a greater capacity to rehouse animals," Ms Hall said.

"With more space, we can hold the animal for longer, which gives us a greater chance to rehouse them."

A volunteer group is being set up to help run the rehousing facilities.

The Domestic Animal Management Plan will be evaluated every 12 months and reviewed in 2010.


Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: support@gippsland.com



Edit this news article




Related Articles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baw Baw Bass Coast Cardinia East Gippsland Latrobe City South Gippsland Wellington
© 2001-2025 gippsland.com Print this page | Subscribe to Newsletter | Feedback / Inquiries | Login
Care has been taken in compiling the component parts of this website. However, Gippsland.com does not warrant or represent that the website is free from errors or omissions, that the qualifications claimed by an advertiser are valid or that the published details of any advertiser are as stated on the website. Please review the full statement of our Terms and Conditions of Service and disclaimer.