Brimbank pet owners are being urged to desex their cats and dogs before breeding season begins.
City development director Stuart Menzies said pet owners needed to act responsibly and ensure that their cats or dogs were desexed, registered and microchipped.
Figures obtained by Star Weekly reveal 2617 stray or lost cats and dogs were found roaming Brimbank streets in the 2013-14 financial year.
Of the 965 dogs collected, 851 were reclaimed by their owners, while the rest were made available for rehousing and adoption through the Lost Dogs Home.
But most of the 1652 cats collected by the council were classified as feral and were put down.
“As with every council in Victoria, Brimbank is faced with the serious problem of feral cats,” Mr Menzies said.
“Any amount of healthy and suitable pets being put down is unacceptable, which is why every effort is made by the Lost Dogs Home, as council’s partner, to find as many homes or adoptions as possible.”
Sue Conroy, of the Lost Dogs Home in North Melbourne, said the shelter was already receiving unwanted litters, despite breeding season typically not starting until September and October.
“We commonly see distressed cat owners come to us when it’s too late, when their undesexed cat has a litter of kittens they simply cannot re-home and have to surrender to us,” Ms Conroy said.
“As temperatures rise, so too will your cat’s urge to find a mate, and a one-night stand could lead to dozens of unexpected relatives by Christmas.”
