Mandatory pet desexing and compulsory registration possible
Reader poll
Should desexing pets be mandatory?
This poll ended on 13 November 2012.
Yes
No
This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.
MANDATORY desexing and compulsory registration for pets is on the agenda for the council.
Councillors voted unanimously to investigate amending local laws in an effort to stop the number of pets, especially cats, being euthanised on the Fraser Coast.
The mandatory desexing for registered cats on change of ownership, and for both cats and dogs impounded more than once a year, are two of the changes which will be put out for public comment during a review of the council's local laws scheduled for early next year.
Even earlier than that, however, pet owners will have to show their pets are appropriately registered, or risk a fine.
"The council will also undertake a door-knock later this year to check pets are registered," Fraser Coast Mayor Gerard O'Connell said.
The door-knock will follow a four-week amnesty period during which owners of unregistered pets will be able to register their animals without penalty.
After the amnesty, owners of unregistered pets will be required to register their pets and will be issued a $220 fine for each unregistered animal.
There are currently 16,438 dogs and 2825 cats registered on the Fraser Coast. In the last year, more than 300 dogs and 400 cats have been euthanised.
Candice Loft, a vet with Hervey Bay Veterinary Surgery, said it was "brilliant" the council was looking to introduce mandatory desexing.
Pet Warriors president Sue Brooks was also happy.
"The introduction of tighter breeding and desexing controls is one small but hugely important step towards halting the over supply of cats that end up either running wild, becoming feral and killing native wildlife, or on death row at the local pounds."
