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Council concern at catching cats

Posted on November 14, 2008, 5:05am

A senior Mount Gambier City Council officer has described any moves to make local government accountable for catching hundreds of roaming cats as a potential “nightmare”.

Council operational services director Daryl Sexton told a committee meeting this week that any legislation for cat controls must be realistic and cost neutral.

His comments follow cat control being assessed by the state’s Dog and Cat Management Board.

Speaking frankly to council’s Operational Services Committee, Mr Sexton said cats were difficult to catch and council would be in for a “rude shock” if similar legislation to dog controls was enforced.

“We have no idea how many cats we have; we know how many dogs we have,” Mr Sexton said.

If new legislation was swept in, he said council would have to employ full-time cat controllers in the city.

“If we have to go out and catch cats, it is going to be a nightmare,” Mr Sexton said

He said current micro-chipping results were poor, with only 15pc of dogs and 11pc of cats being fitted with the technology across the city.

“Microchips can move around the body … if you have an aggressive animal, it might be a bit nasty.”

Mr Sexton also claimed that a much-loved pet could be put down by mistake, after being found roaming around the city.

“What a mess that would be,” he said.

Meanwhile, Cr Eugene Coscarelli also described the potential policing of any cat control legislation as a “nightmare”.

He said the issue needed to be tackled on a state level and not enforced as bylaws for local councils.

Cr Tony Pasin reiterated concerns that any cat control measures needed to be cost effective.

“… we (also) need resources to go with it,” he said.

Adding to the debate, Jim Maher said the idea of a nighttime curfew for cats was impossible.

“Cats stray 24-hours a day. Council cannot be expected to chase cats at 3 o’clock in the morning,” Cr Maher argued.

He said any argument that a curfew would solve the problem was based on a lack of reality.

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