By Mikayla van Loon
Yarra Ranges Council Councillors have voted unanimously to approve a new four-year domestic animal management plan.
The council has unanimously voted to approve the renewed four year plan which required action under Section 68A of the Domestic Animals Act 1994.
In 2021 there were 25,185 dogs and 8,483 cats on the council’s registration database, a total of 33,668 animals.
Items included in the domestic animal management plan (DAMP) relate to the responsibilities of pet owners, particularly of cats and dogs to ensure harmonious living between humans, domestic pets and native wildlife.
Some of the laws under the DAMP include:
– Dogs must be kept on a leash in all public places, other than in areas that are specifically designated as areas where dogs are permitted off the leash
– Owners must ensure their dogs do not worry, threaten, rush, or attack another person or animal
– Dogs are prohibited on ovals and sports fields except for dog training activities approved by Council and relevant Committees of Management and within 20 metres of fixed playground equipment, fixed fitness equipment, permanent BBQ or picnic area
– Cats are required to be confined to their owner’s property 24 hours a day (cat curfew)
Councillor Tim Heenan said he was pleased to see the definition breakdown outlining what constitutes a dangerous dog, menacing dog or a dog rush
“We’ve had a lot of concern over the years and Yarra Ranges had to deal in a very big way with dangerous dogs and certainly that’s been a big focus in the last couple of years and an enormous concern with people’s inability to understand their responsibilities,” he said.
“The DAMP understands that and the responsibility of pet owners.”
Cr Heenan said the main priorities outlined by the community related to animal nuisances, abandonment, euthanasia and responsible pet ownership.
As a well as these concerns, Cr Heenan said the report showed 37 per cent of people who responded in the consultation process were concerned about wandering cats outside their property.
“We’ve gone one step further with cats. There’s been a lot of talk of the decimation of our native wildlife and birds over the years and I’ve seen it in my own environment in Mount Evelyn over the last 36 years,” he said.
“Cats have a large part to play in the changing environment with the lack of small native mammals.”
In 2013 council made it clear that cats could be outside but would have to remain on the owners property.
Cr Len Cox moved the motion to approve the recommendation to support the acceptance of the updated DAMP.
“Domestic animals are a very important part of the council and a very important part of many people’s lives,” he said.
“If you go back 30 or 40 years…you can remember when dogs used to be wandering around the streets and the postie would ride his bike around delivering letters and would finish up getting the bottom of his strides torn by a niggly dog.
“That doesn’t happen anymore because of exactly what we’ve got in front of us…and hopefully it will keep the animals happy too and the people.”
