State Parliament may step in to stop Marion councils’ cat curfew, amid concerns over controversial bylaw
State Parliament may shut down Marion Council’s cat curfew over fears it will lead to cats being killed, rather than returned to their owners.
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Marion council’s controversial plan for a cat curfew could be quashed by State Parliament, amid concerns that the bylaw is badly written and animals could be killed instead of returned to their owners.
Marion Mayor Kris Hanna yesterday told The Advertiser that very strong safeguards were planned for the catch and return of roaming animals, insisting that his council took a lead on curfews after urgings from the State Government to run a trial.
Under Marion’s stated plan, set to go live next month, concerned residents could apply to the council for access to a cat trap for their property.
Once they snagged a feline, people would be told to report it to the council so officers could run a microchip and registration test to find the owner. If no owner was found, the animal would be turned over to the RSPCA, with concerns they could ultimately be killed. Owners of wandering cats face $187.50 fines.
The council’s planned curfew is to apply at night, with pet owners urged to keep their animals inside until morning.
An Upper House committee is currently reviewing the bylaw and has the power to push for it to be to disallowed.
That would require a majority vote, including the Opposition or crossbenchers.
Some MPs are concerned the precise wording of the bylaw leaves out important specifics about how stray cats would be seized and destroyed
Environment and Water Minister David Speirs, a former Marion deputy mayor, said the council “has acted outside of the legislated powers provided to councils and will have to rework its ideas”.
“Local government is at the front line when it comes to cat management,” he said.
“I absolutely welcome more action from councils to deal with the scourge of uncontrolled cats.
“With major environmental investment in the council, including Glenthorne National Park, we want to see the council do well in its approach to cat control and will support them to improve their performance.
“However, this has to be within the confines of the Act.”
SA Best MP Connie Bonaros said the bylaw was vague on how cats would be destroyed. “We need a statewide approach,” she said.
“This notion that you can seize and destroy a cat, without giving somebody the opportunity to claim it, is absurd.”
Mr Hanna believed the bylaw was sound.