Local government pet ban
A local council has implemented a total ban of cats outdoors, day or night, sparking furious backlash from cat owners.
Bass Coast Shire Council, located south-east of Melbourne, has introduced $180 fines for owners each time their cat is found wandering the streets, effective from July next year.
“The best thing for cats is for them to be contained,” says Ali Wastie, Bass Coast Shire Council CEO.
“We have penguins, we have an abundance of wildlife. The only way to keep our wildlife safe is to have these cats contained.”
The local government area includes Phillip Island, home to one of Australia’s most extensive penguin colonies.
Do you think the ban is fair enough? Or is this going too far?
I saw an article recently which indicated that the average cat killed 112 native animals a year. It seems a clear choice - either have cats constrained or lose your small wildlife. In the context of preserving native animals it is fair enough that their biggest predator is prevented from hunting in the wild.