Campbelltown Council cat By-Law lashed amid new animal plan

A month after it pressed on with controversial cat containment plans, a northeastern council has allowed control measures expected to lead to instances of animal cruelty.

Catching nuisance cats in council supplied traps as part of animal management has reignited opposition to a controversial council plan to confine cats to leashes and within their places of residence.

The Campbelltown Council will push on with a proposed plan for animal management, to be brought in on Christmas Day, despite strong and “surprising” dissatisfaction voiced by the community.

The plan, and its opposition, came a month after the council opted to forge on with plans to control cats by making it illegal for them to be outside the owner’s property while unrestrained or on a leash longer than two metres, and to institute a 9pm to 7am feline curfew.

With cat traps a chief component of the latest cat control measures, the council has been accused of being “spiteful” and again questioned about how the controls could contribute to increased animal cruelty.

An RSPCA SA spokeswoman said the organisation did not support the council’s use of traps.

Councillor Therese Britton-La Salle with her cat Lucy. Picture: Keryn Stevens

“Cat traps are not a control method RSPCA supports unless there is training and council oversight of their use,” she said.

“There have been incidents of trapped cats left exposed in extreme weather, and of cats dying from starvation.

“Any animal that suddenly finds itself caught in a trap is likely to experience distress and trapped animals can injure themselves trying to escape.”

The spokeswoman said the RSPCA was concerned the use of traps could result in animal cruelty increases from inhumane use.

Vehemently opposed councillor Therese Britton-La Salle, expressing her personal opinion, said introducing the plan on Christmas Day was “vicious”.

“It is spiteful, a very vicious and very unwelcome Christmas present to the residents of Campbelltown,” she said.

“It is a flawed and misconstrued plan.”

Ms Britton-La Salle told The Messenger in August the By-Law changes were “barbaric”.

Her comments were slammed by mayor Jill Whittaker who called them “intemperate” and said they implied the people of Campbelltown were not “law abiding, kind or peaceful”.

Campbelltown Council Mayor Jill Whittaker.

Ms Whittaker previously rallied against the By-Law opposition explaining they needed to be enforced to stop cats using veggie patches as toilets.

One-hundred-and-thirteen responses were elicited about the animal management plan with 49 per cent of those responses “dissatisfied or very dissatisfied”.

Seventy comments were provided about cat management of which 26, the most received as part of the feedback, objected to the controversial By-Law despite it not being part of the plan.

The report, authored by council staff, said despite the feedback, no changes would be made to proposed cat management or the By-Law.

The council previously attempted to introduce an almost identical By-Law but it was ultimately disallowed by the state’s Upper House.

Council chief executive Paul Di Iulio said the By-Law and management plan were separate and there was no scope for the feedback to change it.

“There were no changes proposed for the Cats By-Law as the By-Law was made by council on 16 August 2022 and gazetted on 25 August 2022,” he said.

“The by-law has been submitted for review by the Legislative Review Committee and there is no further opportunity for council to amend the by-law at this time.”