Shires of Dardanup and Esperance receive overwhelming support from WA councils in stronger cat laws push

A South West council has received overwhelming support from local governments across the State as it seeks to have cat laws strengthened. The Shire of Dardanup put a joint motion with the Shire of Esperance to the WA Local Government Association’s annual general meeting in Perth last week calling for changes to the Cat Act to give councils more control over the animals. It secured 87 per cent support among the 220 votes received. Dardanup shire president Tyrrell Gardiner said both councils agreed the current law hindered their ability to effectively manage unrestrained cats. “(Last week’s) outcome is a positive move in the right direction. It highlights the growing recognition among local governments of the need for stronger local cat laws that empower communities to address the unique challenges posed by wandering cats,” he said. “The current laws restrict our ability to create regulations that effectively manage cat behaviour and protect our local environment. “We’re hopeful that this collaboration with WALGA will lead to meaningful changes that benefit both our community and our wildlife.” Cr Gardiner highlighted an acknowledgement by Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley at the conference that recent changes in the interpretation of the Cat Act had caused issues for councils. He said the support of councils across the State for stronger cat laws showed how important changes were to local governments. “It sends a clear message to State Parliamentarians that this issue is a priority at our level of government,” Cr Gardiner said. “Another vital part of the resolution is the call for WALGA to develop a model local cat law with effective control provisions, which local governments can adopt once the necessary adjustments to the State Cat Act have been made.” The vote comes after the Shire of Dardanup voted at its meeting last month to push ahead with its local cat law, ultimately agreeing to changes requested by State Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation following legal advice. Cr Gardiner said the decision was about the process of enacting a local law, which is now out for public consultation. “We’re got a modified cat law from the one we wanted to have,” he said.