Law to cut back cats

AN ANIMAL protection group has applauded the City of Casey’s decision last week to only register cats that have been desexed.
Australian Animal Protection Society (AAPS) president Christine Giles was full of praise for Casey councillors who voted for a new local law to be made to curb the amount of feral cats roaming the suburbs.
Ms Giles said the AAPS operates an animal shelter out of Keysborough where almost 3500 cats are brought in each year.
She said Casey residents handed in more than 20 per cent of these felines.
“The society congratulates those Casey councillors who supported the move to introduce the compulsory desexing of cats,” Ms Giles said.
“Casey Council is one of the first suburban councils to adopt this legislation and our society applauds mayor Colin Butler and those councillors who showed leadership by supporting the motion.
“Casey Council’s recent decision to introduce mandatory desexing of all cats (subject to certain exemptions) over the age of three months is a progressive and important first step towards the control of the domestic cat population,” she said.
Casey received 21 written submissions about the proposed new law with only two citing reasons against the compulsory desexing of cats.
A report presented to councillors said: “The clear message from the community is the belief that compulsory desexing will assist with the needless destruction of healthy animals.”
Feline breeders can apply for a permit to not have their cats desexed.
Any cat over the age of 10 years is also exempt from the new law.
Council is set to further ratify the new law at a council meeting on 16 October.