Tara Murray
A new Brimbank animal management plan will focus on increasing education and compliance to help address ongoing cat and dog issues.
Brimbank council’s Domestic Animal Management Plan [DAMP] 2021-2025 was released at last week’s council meeting, detailing council’s plan for the next four years.
The plan identified several areas where the council could improve including increasing compliance with cat and dog registration requirements, initiatives to reduce stray cat populations and associated euthanasia rates, issues associated with barking dogs, owner control of dogs when in public places, and dogs not confined to their property.
“This DAMP recognises the broader community and personal context relating to pets and the matters that need to be better understood,” the report said.
“As a result, this DAMP also considers issues and opportunities associated with: enhancing the understanding of the changed scope of the service within council and partnerships with relevant departments in order to address common service needs and objectives the provision of pound and shelter services planning of provision for dogs in public open space optimising partnerships with the community to achieve DAMP recommendations enhancing communication with CALD [culturally and linguistically diverse] communities that often have divergent attitudes and experiences relating to pets, dogs in particular support to pet owners in crisis situations.”
Councillor Virginia Tachos said there needs to be further education in the community to keep animals and the community safe.
“For many years we’ve had issues with feral cats and their control, which has wrecked great damage and threat to native species,” she said.
“Sadly it’s created great risk of diseases to impact on protected native fauna we need greater education for our CALD community on the dangers and threats of freal and cats and other dangerous dog breeds.
“We all bare the responsibility of protecting our environment, native fauna and our people.
“The streamlining of the cat trapping process and the nuisance dog reporting process along with identifying unregistered animals to increase registration will assist in the ongoing enforcement of the animal management plan.”
The plan will go out to public consultation for six weeks.
