LGA renews calls for statewide cat management laws
The draft Dog and Cat Management (Cat Management) Amendment Bill 2024 seeks to provide clarity to organisations responsible for cat management in South Australia, including councils.
LGA’s submission has been informed by existing policy positions, previous LGA submissions on dog and cat management issues, and through consultation with LGA Board of Directors, council elected members and staff.
The details of the LGA’s recommendations are strongly aligned with community sentiment, which supports owners taking greater responsibility for their cats.
Key recommendations
LGA’s submission has outlined four recommendations for the State Government to consider in finalising the draft Bill:
- Introduce statewide cat management laws that are consistent across local government jurisdictions, recognising resource limitations and operational realities of regional councils in administering the Act.
- Councils and their authorised officers retain discretion over how they exercise their existing powers and how they resource their dog and cat management functions. The LGA does not support transfer of the responsibility and costs of feral cat management to councils and ratepayers.
- To optimise cat management outcomes, multiple bodies should share a collective responsibility in enforcing the Act in close cooperation with the public.
- Maintain the community’s role in enforcing the Act. Proposals to prohibit members of the public from seizing a cat would create a regulatory vacuum which removes a practical on-the-ground solution in dealing with wandering cats.
As one of the key stakeholders in community cat management, LGA welcomes further discussions with the State Government about how statewide cat management laws could be implemented.
Find out more
For general enquiries about the LGA’s submission into the draft Dog and Cat Management (Cat Management) Amendment Bill 2024, please contact lgasa@lga.sa.gov.au
For media enquiries, please contact media@lga.sa.gov.au