Pets can enrich our lives, provide physical and mental health benefits, companionship, and help social interactions in the community. This all works best when pets are looked after responsibly and safely for the benefit of everyone.

Councils play an important role in providing services and programs that support responsible, and safe pet ownership.

Legislation requires us to have a plan that outlines our approach to dog and cat management including programs such as desexing and microchipping, and education on community responsibilities around pet ownership.

With your feedback from recent consultations, we’ve prepared a new five-year Dog and Cat Management Plan. The plan aligns with changing State legislative requirements with future actions and initiatives to be embedded in our ongoing Strategic Plans.

The plan runs for five years and will include development of a new cat management framework. You will have the opportunity to provide your feedback on that framework at a later stage.

Community engagement was undertaken in March and April 2025. See the project page for engagement summaries, what we asked and to follow the project to be notified of future opportunities to provide feedback.

The Dog & Cat Management Plan was endorsed by Council at the May 2025 Council meeting.