Knox Council 24-hour cat curfew to start on April 10 2022

Despite pet owners’ fears, Knox Council will push ahead with tough new laws for cats.

Knox Council’s 24 hour cat curfew will be introduced on April 10, 2022.

Knox Council’s controversial 24-hour cat curfew will go ahead, but the tough new rules won’t be introduced until next year.

Councillors considered the curfew again at Monday night’s council meeting, after an outpouring of opposition to the plan.

But a bid from Cr Darren Pearce for more community consultation on the plan was lost, with the majority of councillors voting to implement the 24-hour curfew from April 10 next year, to give cat owners time to prepare for the rules.

It was originally due to start in October.

Owners will face $91 fines for first time offences and up to $545 for second or subsequent infringements.

There will be a six-month amnesty period where no fines will be issued.

Cr Pearce previously suggested council look at introducing a dual curfew consisting of a 7pm to 7am night-time curfew for all existing registered cats within Knox; and a 24-hour curfew for all newly registered cats within Knox.

But a council report found imposing different curfews upon different cats would be impractical and likely to be unlawful.

The 24-hour cat curfew has come under fire from pet owners, with many fearing the impact the “cruel” restrictions would have on older moggies.

Knox resident Skye said she was deeply concerned and disappointed about the curfew.

“There is no way my eight year old male and female cats will tolerate being inside 24 hours, I can’t afford a cat run (over $1000) nor can I erect (nor do I want to) prison-style barb fencing as per the recommendation by council.”

Cr Nicole Seymour said the 24-hour curfew had been a very contentious issue that had created division in the community, and among councillors.

Cats will need to be contained to their properties 24-7 under a new curfew coming to Knox.

She said there had been confusion about what containment meant, that had contributed to angst in the community.

Cr Seymour said under the 24-hour curfew, cats could still move freely around their own properties, and would not have to be kept inside or caged all day.

“It just means that there is responsibility on the owner of the cat to make sure their pet doesn’t go wandering,” she said.

Cr Seymour said the existing Domestic Animal Act already states that cats can’t wander at large and trespass onto other people's property causing nuisance.

She said she was satisfied with the level of community consultation and that council’s approach to enforcing the curfew would be one of empathy and consideration.

But Cr Pearce opposed the motion and said the curfew would be a major change for the 6000 cat owners in Knox, who were under a lot of stress.

He wanted council to do a proper scientific survey and look at different options for the curfew.

Cr Seymour, Cr Yvonne Allred, Cr Jude Dwight, Cr Marcia Timmers-Leitch, Cr Meagan Baker and Cr Susan Laukens supported the 24-hour curfew, while Cr Pearce, Mayor Lisa Cooper and Cr Sorina Grasso voted against it.