To help protect the welfare of cats and wildlife, we will require pet owners to confine their cats within the boundaries of their properties from 1 April 2024.
Council endorsed the introduction of a pilot 24-hour cat confinement order at its meeting on Tuesday 12 December 2023.
The pilot cat confinement order will be implemented over two years, including an amnesty period between April and December 2024 and an evaluation period in December 2025.
Manningham Mayor, Councillor Carli Lange, said Manningham’s Domestic Animal Management Plan (DAMP) included endorsed initiatives to promote responsible pet ownership, one of which was the pilot cat confinement order.
“We will be focused on community awareness and education on the benefits of cat confinement prior to and during the amnesty period before moving towards compliance and enforcement.
“During the pilot it will be fine for cats to be outside so long as they’re confined to the boundary of their owner’s property,” Cr Lange said.
Manningham is home to 3250 registered pet cats and provides a sanctuary for 56 threatened animal species.
“We understand this is a big change for cats and their owners and will provide support and information to help with the transition, including educational information, videos and practical advice on preparing your pet and your property. We will continue to publish this information on our website between now and April.”
By confining cats to their properties, pet owners can:
- Protect the welfare of cats from other animals and cat cruelty caused by human behaviour.
- Reduce the risk of cats getting lost or being exposed to extreme weather.
- Reduce the risk of cats sustaining traumatic injuries from vehicles.
- Protect the health of cats from the transmission of disease from other cats including feline immunodeficiency virus (such as feline AIDS).
- Reduce the risk associated with the transmission of disease from cats and people.
- Protect wildlife from the predatory behaviour of cats.
Free desexing program
Animal Welfare Charity, Tails of the Forgotten Paw (TOFP), are offering a free desexing program to local cat owners experiencing financial hardship.
This program is subsidised through Animal Welfare Victoria.
The Manningham Domestic Animal Management Plan (DAMP)
The DAMP was informed by extensive community consultation and adopted by Council in May 2022.
All Victorian Councils are required to develop a Domestic Animal Management Plan (DAMP) in accordance with the Domestic Animals Act 1994.
