By Taylah Eastwell
Knox cats will be confined to their own properties from April next year after councillors recently voted to implement the controversial 24-hour curfew.
The curfew was again considered at Knox City Council’s Monday 23 August meeting after community pressure led the council to investigate the practicality of implementing a dual curfew that would only see all newly registered felines bound by 24-hour restrictions.
Taylor Ward councillor Darren Pearce introduced a motion at councils 26 July meeting requesting council receive a report at its August meeting looking into alternative options for the widespread curfew.
On Monday night, a clear majority of councillors voted to implement the 24-hour curfew from April next year, giving cat owners time to prepare for the new rules.
Cr Pearce’s attempted to introduce a motion for more community consultation on the topic by way of a survey despite the report received by council stating that the dual curfew with different rules for older and younger cats would be impractical and may be unlawful.
“Now that we are in a brutal lockdown I want to make sure we are not creating extra stress where it’s not necessary,” Cr Pearce said.
“All it is is advice from a law firm… it’s not the law. We haven’t received this from any government authority or from the Department of the Attorney General, and quite frankly the report says the legislation is silent on it,” Cr Pearce said.
Cr Pearce said he would be “quite happy to run the risk” that if the dual curfew was passed it’s legality may be tested in court.
Cr Nicole Seymour disagreed, saying she couldn’t justify up to another $60,000 for further community surveys.
“I’m personally very satisfied with the level of community consultation we’ve given so far. I’m also satisfied that council’s approach will be one of empathy and consideration when it comes to enforcement of the curfew,” she said.
She said there was some angst amongst cat owners about containing free-roaming felines to property boundaries.
“This has been a really challenging decision to arrive at. In this role we can’t please everyone, it is absolutely impossible. So I’m telling the Knox community that on balance, based on all information available provided to me, all feedback I’ve received, I am of the view that this is in the best interests of the broader Knox community, I think it’s workable for cat owners,” Cr Seymour said.
Cr Seymour said she would be happy to consider “down the track” whether compensation or assistance can be provided to cat owners in relation to complying with the laws.
Supporting councillors said the existing Domestic Animal Act already requires that cats do not wander at large or trespass onto other properties causing nuisance.
The 24-hour curfew was supported by Cr Seymour, Cr Dwight, Cr Allred, Cr Timmers-Leitch, Cr Baker and Cr Laukens and opposed by Cr Pearce, mayor Lisa Cooper, and Cr Grasso.
A six month fine amnesty will begin from April 10 2022, after which owners will face fines of $91 for a first offence and up to $545 for subsequent breaches.
