Revised Cat Containment Policy

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Consultation has concluded

In early 2021 we asked parts of the community for comment on a draft Cat Containment Area Policy that was intended to apply to Googong and Jumping Creek estate. During the consultation, Googong Sunset development also agreed to be part of the cat containment area.

The policy was adopted in May 2021.

We had a great deal of feedback during the consultation – including from residents outside the affected areas who suggested that the policy should apply to all areas of Queanbeyan-Palerang.

When considering the community feedback, Councillors acknowledged that it would be unfair to apply the policy to all areas of Queanbeyan-Palerang when the consultation was targeted primarily at Googong residents and future residents of Jumping Creek. Residents in other areas may have chosen not to comment because the policy did not apply to them at that stage.

Councillors recommended that the next review of the policy should include adding the new residential developments of Braidwood Ridge, North Elmslea (Bungendore) and South Jerrabomberra as well as all future greenfield (new) residential developments. We are seeking your comments on the revised policy that now includes these areas.

Planning for future cat containment

In addition to seeking feedback on the latest review of the policy, we’d also like comments on what the next steps should, or could be, for cat containment in Queanbeyan-Palerang.

Cats in Australia kill an estimated 1.7 billion native mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs every year, and they are causing ongoing declines in many wildlife populations (Threatened Species Recovery Hub 2020; Woinarski et al. 2019b). Although most of the damage is caused by feral cats, pet cats also have serious impacts on native wildlife, because they are living at high densities in urban areas.

The ACT Government has adopted a novel approach to cat containment. Their strategy applies to new cats rather than to cats in all residential areas. Residents were required to register their cat before 1 July of last year. Older cats registered before that date are able to roam uncontained, except in specific cat containment suburbs and protected areas, while new cats registered after that date must be contained.

Cat containment does not necessarily mean that cats are restricted to being kept indoors. Containment means ensuring a pet cat is restricted from roaming beyond your property. They can still have time outdoors in cat runs or in backyards that have appropriate fencing or netting that keep a cat from escaping. They can also be taken for walks on a lead (yes, some of them do like to do that!) or taken for walks in an appropriate carry case including the bubble backpacks that are increasing in popularity for cat owners. The key thing is to ensure the cat is under effective control, just like responsible owners do when walking pet dogs.

Animal management experts believe broad cat containment policies, possibly applied by higher levels of Government, are inevitable in Australia with more and more local councils, and the ACT Government, enacting their own policies.

The next steps in our cat containment area policy will be to develop and apply a policy to all areas of Queanbeyan-Palerang. Before we proceed further with developing that policy we’d like your thoughts on how best to approach it.

The deadline for comments on both the revised policy and possible future steps is 8 March 2023. Comments received will be presented to Council for consideration.

Submissions may be made:

  • By completing the survey below
  • By email to council@qprc.nsw.gov.au referencing "Review of Cat Containment Policy" in the subject line
  • By mail to PO Box 90, Queanbeyan NSW 2620
  • By delivery to any of Council's customer service centres

In early 2021 we asked parts of the community for comment on a draft Cat Containment Area Policy that was intended to apply to Googong and Jumping Creek estate. During the consultation, Googong Sunset development also agreed to be part of the cat containment area.

The policy was adopted in May 2021.

We had a great deal of feedback during the consultation – including from residents outside the affected areas who suggested that the policy should apply to all areas of Queanbeyan-Palerang.

When considering the community feedback, Councillors acknowledged that it would be unfair to apply the policy to all areas of Queanbeyan-Palerang when the consultation was targeted primarily at Googong residents and future residents of Jumping Creek. Residents in other areas may have chosen not to comment because the policy did not apply to them at that stage.

Councillors recommended that the next review of the policy should include adding the new residential developments of Braidwood Ridge, North Elmslea (Bungendore) and South Jerrabomberra as well as all future greenfield (new) residential developments. We are seeking your comments on the revised policy that now includes these areas.

Planning for future cat containment

In addition to seeking feedback on the latest review of the policy, we’d also like comments on what the next steps should, or could be, for cat containment in Queanbeyan-Palerang.

Cats in Australia kill an estimated 1.7 billion native mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs every year, and they are causing ongoing declines in many wildlife populations (Threatened Species Recovery Hub 2020; Woinarski et al. 2019b). Although most of the damage is caused by feral cats, pet cats also have serious impacts on native wildlife, because they are living at high densities in urban areas.

The ACT Government has adopted a novel approach to cat containment. Their strategy applies to new cats rather than to cats in all residential areas. Residents were required to register their cat before 1 July of last year. Older cats registered before that date are able to roam uncontained, except in specific cat containment suburbs and protected areas, while new cats registered after that date must be contained.

Cat containment does not necessarily mean that cats are restricted to being kept indoors. Containment means ensuring a pet cat is restricted from roaming beyond your property. They can still have time outdoors in cat runs or in backyards that have appropriate fencing or netting that keep a cat from escaping. They can also be taken for walks on a lead (yes, some of them do like to do that!) or taken for walks in an appropriate carry case including the bubble backpacks that are increasing in popularity for cat owners. The key thing is to ensure the cat is under effective control, just like responsible owners do when walking pet dogs.

Animal management experts believe broad cat containment policies, possibly applied by higher levels of Government, are inevitable in Australia with more and more local councils, and the ACT Government, enacting their own policies.

The next steps in our cat containment area policy will be to develop and apply a policy to all areas of Queanbeyan-Palerang. Before we proceed further with developing that policy we’d like your thoughts on how best to approach it.

The deadline for comments on both the revised policy and possible future steps is 8 March 2023. Comments received will be presented to Council for consideration.

Submissions may be made:

  • By completing the survey below
  • By email to council@qprc.nsw.gov.au referencing "Review of Cat Containment Policy" in the subject line
  • By mail to PO Box 90, Queanbeyan NSW 2620
  • By delivery to any of Council's customer service centres