Family welcomes Knox Council move to update cat trap guidelines after death of pet

A WANTIRNA South family whose cat died after being caught in a trap has welcomed a move by Knox Council to update trap-hiring guidelines.

Jenny Pierce (right) has welcomed Knox Council’s move to update guidelines for cat-trap hire, after her cat Mytzle died after being trapped in one. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

A WANTIRNA South family whose cat died after being caught in a trap has welcomed a move by Knox Council to update trap-hiring guidelines.

But the Pierce family, whose five-year-old cat Mytzle died after she was trapped at their neighbour Jim Ho Woon Kwo’s property in February 2016, has called for even tougher restrictions.

RELATED: Animal cruelty charges dismissed over cat trap death

The council, which supplied the trap, charged Mr Kwo with two animal cruelty offences but both were dismissed by magistrate Andrew McKenna, who said it couldn’t be proven that Mr Kwo knew his actions would result in the cat’s pain and suffering.

After the case, the council changed the wording of indemnity forms that people need to review and sign before they are able to hire a trap.

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The forms includes extra details outlining how people have a duty of care to trapped animals and that “failure to properly monitor a cat trap or treat a trapped cat/animal humanely can result in legal action under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986”.

In a statement, the council said the “process remains the same, the only change is that the new form has added some explicit acknowledgment of the information provided by council officers”.

The council said the update wouldn’t make it harder for residents to hire traps, but “confirms existing accountabilities”.

The council had 169 requests for cat traps in 2016-2017.

Jenny Pierce said she was glad the council was giving more specific warnings, but wanted cat traps banned for use by anyone other than council officers.

“Trapping by unqualified people is not a good idea, full stop,” she said.

Her motivation was to avoid cats dying in the same way Mytzle did.

“I don’t think any animal should be let to go through what she went through,” she said.

Mrs Pierce and her family have been actively campaigning on the issue and had written to state and federal MPs.

But council city development director Angelo Kourambas said it was “not currently considering banning cat traps”.

“It should be noted that cat traps for use by the public, are legal in Victoria,” he said.

Last month, the council announced a cat curfew would be rolled out in 2019.

The proposed curfew is still open to public comment and people can have their say via knox.vic.gov.au/damplan or 9298 8000.