Mildura council adopts animal management plan to encourage responsible ownership

Officers will be better trained and a string of measures introduced under a plan to better manage animals across north-west Victoria.

More training will be provided for animal management officers and pet owners will be educated on responsible ownership under Mildura Council’s recently adopted plan.

Council approved the plan last week which supports the north-west community to live safely alongside cats and dogs.

It means authorised officers will be required to complete a minimum standard of training within their first two years of employment.

A variety of training is offered and provided for all council authorised officers which includes Certificate IV Animal Regulation and Management, animal handling courses and animal behavioural training.

Council will also commit to keeping a register of all authorised officers in order to manage their performance and development.

It comes after council responded to 2594 animal management requests last financial year.

“A variety of training is offered and provided for all council authorised officers; training options are reviewed annually to ensure they are relevant and up to date,” the Mildura council agenda read.

The plan is a formal framework for how Mildura council will provide animal management services and initiatives over the next four years.

It aims to continue on projects like their responsible pet ownership program and facility upgrades undertaken in previous years but to also introduce new methods for managing domestic animals.

The management plan also aims to use a range of communications channels to deliver simple, clear responsible pet ownership messages.

“In order to meet the communities’ diverse and varying needs, preferences and abilities, we use a range of different communication methods and channels to encourage responsible pet ownership,” the report says.

Key messages and topics in the plan include registering and microchipping, desexing and exercising and socialising your dog.

As part of encouraging responsible pet ownership, packs get delivered to residents on a case-by case basis.

They include pet products and information plus a $100 voucher for services at a local vet clinic to cover some of the costs associated with registering, desexing, microchipping, vaccinating and worming their cats and dogs.

More than 800 of these vouchers have been distributed since 2017.

As part of the domestic animal management plan, council spent $192,000 improving the Rio Vista Off Leash Dog Park including installing fencing around the perimeter, upgraded gates, reduced prickles and more trees for shade.