news, act-politics

The ACT government has decided "It's Time" to expand cat containment in Canberra, bringing a Kerr's purr to the future suburb of Whitlam. The expansion of cat-containment policy in the Molonglo Valley came as the government released a new draft plan on cat management in Canberra for the next 10 years. The draft plan would expand mandatory cat-containment measures into established suburbs, as well as newer suburbs backing onto bushland areas. Whitlam has become the 17th suburb in Canberra where cat containment is enforced, with it already in place in suburbs including Gungahlin, Coombs, Crace, Lawson and Forde. Owners whose cats roam the streets in these areas face fines of up to $1500. As part of the measures, cat owners have to keep their cat inside their property at all times and cats are not allowed to wander outdoors. Last year, Domestic Animal Services was forced to expand cat holding facilities due to the number of roaming cats in cat containment areas. City Services Minister Chris Steel said the recent expansion of cat containment into Whitlam would protect native wildlife. "We are expanding cat containment to Whitlam particularly because it is close to the Kama Nature Reserve and Lower Molonglo Reserve, a habitat for native wildlife including the rare pink-tailed worm lizard," Mr Steel said. "It is important we have a conversation on how we can all work to protect our environment from cats as well as keeping our cats safe." The draft plan for cat management would also consider strengthening laws and penalties for abandoning cats, and aim to reduce the number of semi-owned or unowned domestic cats in Canberra. "Community-based programs may be effective in reducing unowned and semi-owned cat populations, including free or lower-cost cat desexing and microchipping that may encourage some people to adopt neighbourhood cats," the report said. "However, cats that remain semi-owned or unowned would need to be trapped and relocated to a rescue centre." The draft report also called for adequate cat-management facilities to adequately support finding and rehoming lost cats. Changes are also being considered where cat owners would be able to walk their cats on a leash in cat-containment areas, although cats would still be banned from nature reserves and national parks. Feral cats would also be targeted under the draft plan, with cat-free conservation areas like Mulligans Flat being expanded, and more predator-proof fences installed in nature reserves. ACT conservator of flora and fauna Ian Walker said feral cats had directly caused the extinction of 20 Australian mammals. "In recent years, small carnivorous marsupials, including two species of antechinus and a dunnart, have disappeared from many of the Canberra nature parks where they once were common," Mr Walker said. "Today these animals only thrive behind the cat- and fox-proof fence at Mulligans Flat." Mr Steel said submissions on the draft plan were now open for cat owners to have their say on the proposal. "The draft cat plan supports a vision where all cats will be owned, wanted and cared for by responsible owners," he said. "We want the feedback from the community on a range of cat management issues and proposed actions including cat containment, desexing and the control of unowned and stray cats."

https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/104050b6-56cf-4791-9e95-2b580f6fd486/r0_291_5568_3437_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg