Marion Council to push for statewide approach in place of local cat bylaws
Marion Council says it will wait for the State Government to come up with a way to manage the state’s cats after its own tough plan was disallowed.
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A Marion councillor says cats will continue “pissing on your front door” while the State Government attempts to come up with a statewide feline management plan.
The council has decided to adopt a wait-and-see approach after the Government last month disallowed its own controversial cat bylaws, which, among other measures, would have allowed residents to trap strays.
Owners of wandering cats could have been slapped with fines of $187.50.
At the time, Environment Minister David Speirs said the council was arrogant and aggressive in its approach to cat management and that the Government was “very interested in getting model by-laws … right”.
In response, Marion Mayor Kris Hanna wrote to Mr Speirs requesting information regarding the possible content and time frames of a model bylaw.
At its July meeting, the council voted to wait for a response from Mr Speirs before taking any further action.
Councillor Bruce Hull told the meeting he did not think the council had a choice.
“I think the community expects us to carry this through,” Cr Hull said.
“I am concerned at how long this may take to come through, for (Mr Speirs’) commitment for South Australia to actually bring about this model cat bylaw.
“In the meantime, cats are out there doing what cats do. They’re out there pissing on your front door, they’re fighting at night keeping you awake, they’re killing birds or lizards, they’re going into the Minister’s newly declared (Glenthorne) National Park.”
Mr Hanna said the council’s bylaw would have had “some benefit for both cat owners and people who are being annoyed by cats at night”.
“The changes suggested by parliament would have made it unworkable for us because it would take away that ability for council inspectors to seize and detain the cats,” Mr Hanna said.
“We don’t care who comes up with the good idea as long as it benefits the community, which is obviously a balancing act between the cat owners’ needs and the needs of people who are having problems with cats.”
Last month, a Burnside Council proposal also called for a statewide approach to cat management.
It called for the council to launch a push for statewide cat registration fees and laws to make it illegal for cats to wander at large or attack animals or people.