Council plans to help control animals

By Shaun Inguanzo
THE City of Greater Dandenong will lobby the State Government to have all cats and dogs desexed before sale under a new domestic animal management plan.
The plan was passed by councillors at Monday night’s meeting and it aims to tackle the growing concerns from animal welfare groups about the number of cats and dogs that are either lost or euthanased as a result of irresponsible pet ownership.
The council also wants to crack down on pet registration, with Greater Dandenong falling well below the number of registered cats and dogs of other similar-sized cities.
Keysborough Ward councillor Roz Blades said she supported the desexing of animals before sale because it would prevent cats and dogs from unnecessary breeding.
But opposed to the notion was Cleeland Ward councillor Paul Donovan, who described desexing as ‘cruel’.
To formulate the plan the council had a public consultation meeting on 12 July this year.
Feedback listed in the report shows a strong focus from concerned groups on educating pet owners to be more responsible for their animals.
A forum for veterinarians on 16 August provided a professional insight into animal management. Vets called for no ‘free to good home’ advertisements, suggested free pet registration for animals under three months old, a need to show value in registration, increasing financial penalties for failing to comply with local domestic animal laws and promote responsible ownership at community events such as the Dandenong Show.
In its Domestic Animal Management Plan, the council outlines a timeframe for introducing compulsory microchipping and pet desexing.
It is hoping to prepare draft resolutions by October 2008 to have compulsory microchipping a local law by mid-2009, and compulsory desexing by mid-2010.