Is this the future for cats in the Douglas?
Community Protection
More than 85 percent of Douglas Shire residents have voted in favour of a ‘cat curfew’ to save some of our fauna.
A ‘cat curfew poll’ conducted by Newsport in March, attracted 101 respondents with 85.15 per cent in favour and 14.85 per cent against the idea.
Cliff Mitting, a Newsport reader and driver behind a curfew, said the recent poll conducted regarding what people thought of having a cat curfew introduced prove that residents think the idea has merit.
“Can residents please email the Douglas Shire directly and help persuade the Douglas Shire to implement a cat curfew to save some of our fauna please.
“We live in a World Heritage area and some people are letting their cats roam and kill our fauna at night.
“The Douglas Shire has a responsibility to protect our fauna and a cat curfew is only one small step in helping protect our fauna and the current council bylaws don’t address the problem,” he said.
Key points:
- Cats kill 3.2 million mammals and 1.2 million birds on average each day in Australia.
- Victorian, South Australian and ACT councils have or are introducing cat curfews.
- There are calls for Far North Queensland councils to implement a similar policy.
Council says
Council said it is the responsibility of the pet owner to contain your cat on your property at all times;
Cat enclosures are a great way for your cats to enjoy the outdoors while remaining safe and preventing them from wandering;
If there are any nuisance or feral cats in your area, please contact Council on 4099 9444.