By JESSE GRAHAM
OCTOBER will mark the beginning of the controversial cat curfew in the Yarra Ranges, which will see cats confined to their owner’s property at all hours.
A Yarra Ranges Council spokesperson confirmed to the Mail that 1 October would be the beginning of the cat curfew for the entire municipality.
The curfew will mean that cat owners must ensure their animal stays within the confines of their property at day and night, with penalties for owners of cats caught by neighbours.
Yarra Ranges Council’s director of Planning, Building and Health, Andrew Paxton, said residents would experience “very little” change under the new curfew.
“It (the curfew) will be used to respond to customer complaints about nuisance cats, which is the current practice,” he said.
“It is often difficult for council officers to know what time of day or night a wandering cat was trapped – the 24-hour curfew will provide more clarity around this process.
“The curfew will not involve council officers patrolling for wandering cats.”
Mr Paxton said that, with around five months until the curfew comes into place, cat owners have the time to understand their responsibilities and make arrangements to keep cats on their property.
The public response to the announcement of the curfew’s endorsement on 11 March was explosive, with letters written to the council and the Mail, numerous comments online and over 2000 people signing an online petition against the curfew.
However, many commentators against the curfew have criticised the curfew as being ‘cruel’, for confining animals to inside areas – the curfew only restricts the animals to the owner’s property’s fence-line.
The council also only officially accepts petitions which include the addresses of signatories, making the current online petition not acceptable.
According to the council’s website, cats roaming outside of their owner’s property have caused issues from fighting with pets on neighbouring properties, attacking and killing wildlife, along with urinating and defecating on outsiders’ properties.
The Mail asked the council how many responses had been sent to the council regarding the curfew since the council endorsed the changes, and how many of these were for and against the proposal.
Mr Paxton said the council had received responses both for and against the curfew since it was endorsed by council.
The council was asked how it would respond to the concerns of some residents that vermin populations could rise under the curfew – no response was given.
The Yarra Ranges Council will be the fifth municipality in Victoria to bring in a 24-hour cat curfew.
For more information on the curfew and its implications, visit www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au.
