Gawler Council seeks powers to kill roaming cats after three days if they’re not claimed by their owners

Cat owners in one council area north of Adelaide are facing tough new regulations that could see their roaming pets be destroyed.

Gawler Council is seeking laws that would allow it to destroy pet cats found roaming the streets if they are not claimed by their owns after three days.

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A northern council wants the power to kill pet cats if they are not claimed by their owners within three days.

Gawler Council has sent draft by-laws to the Cat and Dog Management Board which authorise its staff to “seize, detain and destroy” roaming cats within the town’s boundaries.

The board has raised concerns with the council about the proposed law but councillors have voted unanimously to keep pushing for its introduction.

A staff report says the board had “provided verbal feedback to our solicitors suggesting that they have some concerns with Clause 12 pertaining to the seizure, detention and destruction of cats”.

“Clause 12 seeks to allow council’s authorised officers to seize, detain and destroy a cat if it is found wandering in public in circumstances that would constitute an offence against this by-law,” it says.

Gawler Council wants to introduce by-laws authorising the killing of roaming cats. Picture: Colin James.

“If an unidentified cat is seized under this paragraph, it may be lawfully disposed of or destroyed by the authorised person.

“Identified cats may be destroyed, or otherwise disposed of, by an authorised person if the cat is not claimed by a person entitled to the return of the cat within 72 hours from when notice of its detention is given under the draft by-law, or if a person who owns the cat declines to take possession of the cat.”

Cat advocate Helen Wright described the proposed by-laws as “appalling”.

“Killing should be a last resort, not the first resort,” she said.

Ms Wright said Gawler’s proposed cat by-laws were “an infringement of the rights of the cats and owners”.
“Councillors are not experts on animal management,” she said

“Someone there is not using their brain.

“Could the cats not be rehomed or managed by a no-kill shelter?”

Ms Wright said new statewide laws introduced last year making the microchipping and desexing of cats compulsory removed the need for cat by-laws.

“The new laws introduced by the Dog and Cat Management Board are only one-year old,” she said.

“The council should let them run for the stated two-year trial before bringing in more harsh penalties.”

RSPCA South Australia chief executive Paul Stevenson said the introduction of detention periods for stray cats was “a positive step by Gawler Council in starting to address the issue of improved cat management”.

“However RSPCA strongly believes the detention period must also apply to unidentified cats,” he said.

“Under current legislation, unidentified dogs must be detained by councils to provide owners with the opportunity to reclaim them, and the same opportunity must be provided to the owners of unidentified cats.”

Mr Stevenson said he also wanted more information about the council’s intentions for cats after the detention period.

“It is utterly unacceptable to the vast majority of South Australians and RSPCA for healthy dogs and cats to be euthanised, meaning Gawler Council will need to have arrangements for the care of these animals until they are able to be found new homes,” he said.

“In the eastern states, many councils have established modern animal welfare facilities for the care and rehoming of stray animals, but unfortunately this is another area where South Australian dog and cat management practices lag behind the rest of Australia.”

Gawler mayor Karen Redman said the town needed strict cat by-laws because it had a wealth of native wildlife vulnerable to predators.

Ms Redman said the council was trying to develop a cat management strategy “both consistent and equitable with the legislative process currently in place for the management of dogs and to ensure the impact of feral and stray cats is minimal to our native fauna”.

“There’s been concern about stray and feral cats in Gawler for a number of years with residents and previous councillors raising the matter as far back as 2013,” she said.

The council would continue discussing the proposed by-laws with the Dog and Cat Management Board.

STATE OF PLAY

MITCHAM — Compulsory registration of cats. Animals must be kept inside at night.

MARION — Cat owners are limited to two animals per dwelling.

ADELAIDE HILLS — Cats must be desexed and microchipped, limit of two per premises.

CAMPBELLTOWN — Soon to introduce by-laws. Limit of two cats per premises.

WHYALLA — Mandatory cat registration. Curfew between 10pm and 6am.