Moreton cat owners furious at council door-to-door registration blitz

Homes of a huge council area will be systematically checked by rangers with the power to enter properties as part of a co-ordinated blitz on unregistered pets. HERE’S WHERE

Moreton Bay residents face on-the spot $287 fines for unregistered cats, with rangers on patrol and entering homes across the region where necessary for the rest of this year as part of a mega co-ordinated crackdown.

Moreton Bay Regional Council will conduct a systematic inspection program from October 1 to December 31.

Unregistered dog inspections have been underway since July.

The due date for the more than 85,000 Moreton Bay cats and dogs to be registered is September 30.

The inspection program has sparked outrage on local social media pages, with many questioning rangers’ need to enter their properties.

In September 2021, the number of cat and dog registration renewals issued in Moreton Bay was 78,655. Picture: Jay Town

One local said she was happy for them to come but “this is a really odd way for them to do it.

“Anyone could just pretend to be a council worker and ask for an inspection.”

While another person asked “if they enter my property when we are not home and my dogs bite them, what happens then?”

But a council spokesperson said its rangers were authorised under state legislation to enter properties.

“Council rangers do not enter the dwelling,’’ they said.

“If a council ranger is specifically denied entry onto the property, council will review other legal options for the ranger to return and undertake the inspection.

“In September 2021, the number of cat and dog registration renewals issued was 78,655.

“As at 19 May 2022, 11,780 (15 per cent) of current cat and dog registrations remain outstanding.

“Additionally, given the region’s population growth, the total number of cats and dogs on council’s registration database is considered to be less than what is actually in the community.”

Council’s Local Laws Manager, Shane Mansfield, said the first phase of inspections would concentrate on owners of cats and dogs who had not paid their current financial year registration.

“We need to follow up to ensure that people are aware of their responsibilities but, more importantly, it’s all about keeping people and their pets safe,” Mr Mansfield said.

“So many people have, from our understanding and research, acquired cats and dogs during the Covid period.

“If they’re not registered it’s awfully difficult to reunite them.

“It‘s important for the community to understand a lot of the cat and dog owners in Moreton Bay are responsible but unfortunately there’s a group of people who haven’t paid their registration.”

Moreton Bay Regional Council is one of three councils in southeast Queensland, alongside Logan and the Sunshine Coast, requiring cat registration.

Registration costs are subsidised for pets that are desexed pets and concessions are available for pensioners and veterans.

In September 2022, the following cat and dog registration renewals were issued for the new registration period of 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2023, 71,905 for dogs and 14,401 for cats.