Gunnedah Shire to conduct feral cat program trial

GUNNEDAH Shire Council will conduct a 12-month trial to address the increasing number of feral cats.

The issue was brought to the council’s attention by Cr Ann Luke, who had previously sought information from staff about measures to respond to the issue.

At last week’s council meeting, elected members agreed to engage in a program that would assist residents to remove feral cats from their properties.

As part of the trial, residents in areas that have feral cat colonies will be encouraged to trap them and then take the animal to the council’s animal impound facility.

The council will allocate $11,500 for a trapping program and an additional $20,000 for a subsidised desexing program.

An upper limit of the council’s 50 per cent co-contribution to desexing costs would be capped at $187.50.

Community and development director Andrew Johns told the meeting that council staff had recommended a desexing program to supplement measures addressing feral cat numbers.

Mr Johns said the level of resourcing needed would see community safety team members drawn away from other facets of their job.

“That’s not to say it’s not important. I’ve heard in the community a lot, I’ve heard from other councils a lot … that feral cat situations are out of control,” he said.

The council’s business paper stated that every resident in the Gunnedah Shire has a duty under the Biosecurity Act as it relates to feral cats. “Council staff work within guidelines, policies and legislation in relation to dogs and cats under the Companion Animals Act 1998 and their sole purpose under this act is to safely manage the companion animals in the Gunnedah LGA,” the report stated.

“Attending a property, taking a feral cat from a trap, taking it to a vet and taking its body to the waste management facility, can take anywhere up to three hours per animal, depending on the availability of the external stakeholders, the number of feral cats trapped and staff available to complete the activity.

“This time would increase should the trapped cat be in another part of the shire. As outlined elsewhere herein, for this reason it is recommended that should the trial proceed, the animal must be delivered to the Gunnedah Animal Impound Facility, by the trapper and by prior arrangement and traps must be collected and returned to this location.

“Given that the community safety team are only staffed with three members and must work together, this is ‘two up’ at all times for safety, this puts a hold on any other responses which may be required during this time within the Gunnedah Shire LGA.

“Make no mistake, this activity will impact on the team’s ability to deal with other regulatory issues such as overgrown properties, hoarding, straying livestock, straying dogs, squalor, illegal dumping and illegal development.

“These are just a few of the other responsibilities council’s community safety staff undertake.

“Council should be cognisant of this in making any recommendation to staff.”

Cr Kate McGrath moved that the council proceed with the trial. This was seconded by Cr Cameron Moore.

Cr Linda Newell queried who would be eligible for the subsidy and if it was limited to residents on low incomes.

Mr Johns said council staff had discussed the matter and agreed that the trial should be open to the entire community.

Cr Moore suggested the addition of setting an upper limit for the council’s contribution to desexing costs.