Cairns: Cat fine issued after pet roams into neighbour’s yard
A suburban pet owner slapped with an unexpected fine has let the cat out of the bag about a little-known Cairns bylaw.
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A SUBURBAN pet owner slapped with an unexpected $266 fine has let the cat out of the bag about a little-known Cairns Regional Council bylaw with sharp claws.
Lesley Laska is retired now but was formerly a popular English teacher and debating co-ordinator at St Mary’s Catholic College in Woree.
These days she lives at Forest Gardens with her ragdoll cat Monty – a timid but affectionate fellow who has been a wonderful companion during the coronavirus lockdown.
Mrs Laska was shocked to receive a recent $266 fine from the council after neighbours sent in photos of Monty roaming on to their property.
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She said she approached the neighbours and explained she was a widow and a pensioner, and any issue could easily have been raised with her in person before punitive measures were sought out, but her words fell on deaf ears.
“Council had rung me, probably two months before, about the cat but they only mentioned to me about registration and roaming at night time,” she said.
“I went straight away and got it registered – it was already microchipped – and I made extra sure to keep it inside at night. If I’d known it was for the day as well, I would have been much more careful.”
Monty has not been outside the property since the fine arrived, and Mrs Laska has a new indoor-outdoor cat enclosure currently under construction to ensure he wanders no more.
Materials alone have cost about $700.
She has asked the council several times for a copy of the photo that led to the steep penalty but has been refused.
“It was a very upsetting experience,” Mrs Laska said.
“I asked them to supply me with the photo so I can understand how my cat would threaten the safety and wellbeing of my neighbours, which is what they said the law was there for.
“I also strongly recommended they advertise this law, because so few people know about it.”
A council spokeswoman said the same rules applied to any roaming animal, be it a cat, dog, pig, iguana or leghorn chook.
Law gives paws for thought
A council spokeswoman said all animals must be under “effective control at all times” under local laws.
“Council received CCTV footage as evidence that the cat was wandering at large,” she said.
“Under privacy provisions, council cannot identify who made the complaint.
“Providing the CCTV footage to the cat owner could lead to identification of the person making the complaint.”
The rule has been in place since at least 2011.
Originally published as Cairns: Cat fine issued after pet roams into neighbour’s yard