A notice of motion to rescind a 24-hour cat
confinement order passed at the April council meeting has been successful at
last night’s meeting.
Following a councillor vote, the City of
Greater Geelong will maintain the existing cat curfew order enacted on 1 July
2009 requiring cat owners to keep their cats securely confined to their
property between sunset and sunrise.
The proposed confinement order, which was due
to come into effect on 1 November 2024, would have required owners to confine
pet cats to their properties at all times, either inside the home, in a safe
outdoor area or in a secure enclosure. Cats that leave the premises were to be
restrained or in a cat carrier.
Councillor Melissa Cadwell moved to rescind the
cat confinement order due to the financial burden on cat owners and the lack of
detail on how the policy would affect cat owners living in rental
accommodation.
Councillor Melissa Cadwell
The financial cost burden the policy would
have imposed upon residents on low fixed incomes may have required them to give
up their cat, which in many cases may be their only companion.
That’s not something I could support,
particularly in a cost-of-living crisis.
There was a lack of detail in regard to how
this would work for registered cat owners living in rental accommodation, given
that there would have been a substantial investment on the part of the tenant
to comply with the policy and still allow for their cat to have time outside.
Under the Victorian Domestic Animals Act 1994,
Council officers can issue an infringement of $96-$385 to a cat owner whose cat
is found roaming outside their premises during curfew hours. Repeat offenders
face tougher penalties.
The notice of rescission was supported six
votes to five, with councillors Harwood, Murrihy, Kontelj, Aitken, Hathway and
Cadwell voting in favour of rescinding the order, and councillors Sullivan,
Mason, Wilkinson, Nelson and Moloney voting against rescinding.
The City will take no further action on the
proposed 24-hour confinement order.