Latest news with #CatAct
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Politics
- Perth Now
Survey shows local government support of cat containment
A new survey has shown local governments across WA are overwhelmingly in support of keeping one of our favourite pets at home as feral threats continues to terrorise nature. The WA Feral Cat Working Group has unveiled the findings of a new survey that show 78 per cent of local governments are interested in implementing permanent containment laws for pet cats. Despite overwhelming evidence Australia's more than 5.3 million pet cats are capable of unleashing unprecedented damage to the country's biodiversity, according to the working group WA has some of the most relaxed laws around responsible cat ownership. Despite a 2019 review from the State Government showing 73 per cent of respondents supported laws to prevent cats from roaming, which has likely only grown in the past six years, no such rules are in place. Working group executive Dr Bruce Webber said with such overwhelming support from local governments, WA could quickly go from national laggards to national leaders when it came to responsible ownership for pet cats. 'Our report highlights a long-standing challenge for local governments in Western Australia,' he said. 'Their communities are calling loudly for cat containment, and they are seeking to implement solutions, but are all too often having their efforts blocked.' Dr Webber said WA could not wait for yet another review of the Cat Act as any solution would take too long to deliver and while the WAFCWG supported a review, there was a need for immediate change to give local governments more power. A State Government spokesperson said the Cook Government was progressing with the initial scoping phase of its next statutory review of the Cat Act. 'The Cat Act already provides all Western Australian local governments with a range of powers to proactively manage cats within their district,' they said. 'This includes powers to make local laws to address cats including to designate certain areas, such as nature reserves and parks, as cat prohibited areas.' Cat Haven CEO Roz Robinson said she supported changing the laws as the shelter often took cats injured roaming coming into care. 'What is so frustrating for us is that the poor welfare outcomes from roaming could all be avoided with owners simply containing their cats to their properties,' she said. 'Whilst there will always be the need for people to re-home owned cats, we could literally halve our annual intake. 'Loving your cat isn't about letting it free roam, it is about keeping it as safe as possible, and the only way you can do this is to keep it safe at home contained where you know it is all the time.' Invasive Species Council CEO Jack Gough said for the sake of several native animals, cats could not be allowed to roam any longer. 'Roaming pet cats are sending our suburbs silent,' he said. 'Every year across Australia they kill more than 300 million native animals — wiping out birds, reptiles, frogs and small mammals. 'WA is lagging the nation when it comes to ensuring responsible pet ownership laws and local councils are crying out for the State Government to step up and empower them to protect wildlife.' The review came after the WAFCWG was approached by Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley in 2024 to look at how local governments were progressing best practice ownership of pet cats. The State Government spokesperson said Ms Beazley continued to engage with the WAFCWG and appreciated its input.
Sydney Morning Herald
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
WA councils want to outlaw roaming cats. Here's what's stopping them
Stopping cats from roaming is a priority for Western Australia's local councils, but many say they need help in overcoming obstacles to enforce responsible cat ownership. A new survey of local government areas has revealed that only three out of 26 councils have been successful in bringing in 'permanent containment' laws that would compel cat owners to keep their pets at home, on a leash or in a cat enclosure. Seven councils have tried more than once but have been disallowed by a government committee that viewed the laws as in conflict with the state Cat Act. Yet 78 per cent of council respondents told the survey they would add the permanent containment law if there was a clear pathway to implementation. The survey, Taking the pulse on responsible cat ownership across WA local governments, was released today by the WA Feral Cat Working Group. It demonstrated a strong desire by local government areas for help in getting effective cat control laws, according to Working Group executive leader Dr Bruce Webber. 'With so many local governments interested in implementing permanent containment, Western Australia could quickly go from national laggards to national leaders when it comes to responsible ownership for pet cats,' Webber said. 'Our voluntary survey was completed by 74 per cent of the 139 local governments, an unusually high rate of return suggesting keen interest in the topic.' Many councils say they suffer from poor levels of responsible pet ownership, with 42 per cent reporting a low level of awareness among residents and low compliance with laws.
The Age
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Age
WA councils want to outlaw roaming cats. Here's what's stopping them
Stopping cats from roaming is a priority for Western Australia's local councils, but many say they need help in overcoming obstacles to enforce responsible cat ownership. A new survey of local government areas has revealed that only three out of 26 councils have been successful in bringing in 'permanent containment' laws that would compel cat owners to keep their pets at home, on a leash or in a cat enclosure. Seven councils have tried more than once but have been disallowed by a government committee that viewed the laws as in conflict with the state Cat Act. Yet 78 per cent of council respondents told the survey they would add the permanent containment law if there was a clear pathway to implementation. The survey, Taking the pulse on responsible cat ownership across WA local governments, was released today by the WA Feral Cat Working Group. It demonstrated a strong desire by local government areas for help in getting effective cat control laws, according to Working Group executive leader Dr Bruce Webber. 'With so many local governments interested in implementing permanent containment, Western Australia could quickly go from national laggards to national leaders when it comes to responsible ownership for pet cats,' Webber said. 'Our voluntary survey was completed by 74 per cent of the 139 local governments, an unusually high rate of return suggesting keen interest in the topic.' Many councils say they suffer from poor levels of responsible pet ownership, with 42 per cent reporting a low level of awareness among residents and low compliance with laws.
Perth Now
23-05-2025
- General
- Perth Now
Thousands of Perth residents may need new permit to own cat
Cat owners in the City of Stirling could soon be tied up in more red tape. Under proposed changes, people living with 200 metres of designated cat prohibited areas — which are set to nearly quadruple from 11 to 41 — would have to obtain a permit to have a cat. This would be on top of the existing requirement to register cats. Your local paper, whenever you want it. About 12,100 properties would come under the new regulations. Residents living near reserves such as Charles Riley Memorial Reserve, Herdsman Lake, Star Swamp, Carine Regional Open Space, Careniup Wetlands, and Sattelberg Prevelly Reserve may soon be affected, with all six named in the list of 41 proposed cat-prohibited areas. Those seeking a permit would have to submit a written application to the city, provide a reason and justification for the request, and pay any fee determined by the city. If a permit is issued to properties in the affected areas, known as fauna protection buffer zones, owners will be subject to a set of conditions. These include keeping cats contained on the premises at all times unless supervised, and ensuring the property is securely fenced and well maintained. The measures are part of the city's proposed Cat Local Law 2025, which it says is intended to reduce the damage roaming cats are causing to native wildlife. Anyone found violating the proposed local law could be fined up to $5000. The city estimates roaming cats could be responsible for the deaths of more than 360,000 native animals each year within Stirling and believes implementing these controls will help safeguard local ecosystems. Trail cameras set up at nine conservation reserves that were not listed as cat-prohibited areas recorded domestic cats in seven of them. City officers say this confirms cats are roaming in the city's bushlands and tougher measures are needed. 'Based upon information obtained and reviewed through the local law review process, it is evident that domestic cats are having a negative impact on flora and fauna across the district, particularly within natural areas,' a report said. 'This is the basis for the number of cat-prohibited areas being significantly increased and for a permit requirement being introduced within fauna protection buffer zones through the proposed Cat Local Law 2025.' Just more than 6600 cats are registered in the City of Stirling, but the city believes this may be only about a quarter of all cats living in the area. In this financial year up to May 12, the city received 401 complaints about cats, up from 125 in the 2023-24 financial year. The proposed rules were presented to the city's community and resources committee on Tuesday. The council will consider releasing it for public consultation at its meeting next week. Despite its proposed changes, the city maintains that the State Government's Cat Act remains the best legislative framework for managing and controlling cats.
Sydney Morning Herald
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Bold and visionary' WA council fights back on cat containment
The shire is seeking not to just contain cats but to limit ownership to two per household, with the option to apply for more subject to shire approval, and is investigating providing grants for 'catios'. 'The community is fully on board with this; we've advertised this or similar laws three times now and no objections have come in,' Dover said. Cat predation is one of the main threats' to the numbats' future. Credit: Robert McLean 'We have received quite a bit of support locally and more broadly from wildlife groups. 'We are frustrated that we haven't got there yet.' Dover said the official reason for the law's knock-back was an advertising-grounds technicality. The shire had now received legal advice that its new law was in accordance with the Cat Act and could carry out its aims and intentions. 'We believe it should be permitted and if it isn't, our current intention is to push that all the way to the Upper House of the Parliament to get that hearing, not just by the committee but by the full house,' he said. 'That would of course be subject to a council decision, but that is the current consensus around the council table.' WA Feral Cat Working Group executive Bruce Webber said it would be a brave politician or committee that disallowed an evidence-based law focused on saving WA's iconic numbats. He said the joint standing committee was being reformed this month under the new state government and could potentially reconsider its legal interpretations. If this happened, other local government attempts could be reconsidered, including the recent disallowance of a City of Bayswater cat law. Webber said the original Cat Bill in 2011 was clear that local governments should be able to make laws for cat containment and the state's most respected legal minds on local government law agreed. He said the committee also changed legal advisors at the end of 2024 and had the opportunity of testing their legal position with the State Solicitor's Office, which they had never yet chosen to do. 'This refresh creates the opportunity for long-overdue change,' he said. 'Perhaps finally, and with minimal fuss, the government can act on the mandate given to them in 2019, when 73 per cent of people surveyed as part of the last Cat Act review stated that they wanted permanent cat containment.' Webber anticipated the committee's new membership would be announced later this week, but a first meeting was not likely until next month, so the new Pingelly would stand for now. Loading He supported the shire's position that it would fight for its law if necessary. 'In the past the committee have recommended disallowance and local governments have capitulated. They don't want to annoy the politicians,' he said. 'But if Pingelly refuses to accept the disallowance … it would go to the Upper House for debate and decision for the first time … a new Upper House with a very different composition.
