Canberra residents support cat containment policies that would require cats to be kept indoors or in outdoor enclosures. A report by researchers at ANU recommends declaring the entire ACT region a cat containment zone to protect wildlife. A community survey found most residents support cat registration and controls on stray cats. While a territory-wide policy may benefit the environment, it could be challenging for cat owners and would require an extensive education campaign over many years.

1. news
Canberrans support cat containment
ith nine declared cat
containment areas already
in the ACT and new suburbs
set to bolster that number, Canberra
residents may need to think twice
before releasing their cat for an
afternoon roam.
A report prepared by Kathy
Eyles, PhD Student from ANU
Fenner School of Environment and
Society, and Dr Michael Mulvaney,
Senior Environmental Planner of
ACT Environment and Sustainable
Development Directorate (ESDD),
encourages the ACT Government to
declare the entire ACT region a cat
containment zone.
“At the moment we have cat
containment zones declared in
Forde, Bonner, Crace, North
Watson, Lawson, Coombs and
Wright. Over the next few years,
ACT Government policy states that
new suburbs that connect to nature
reserves or sanctuaries must also be
declared cat containment zones,” Ms
Eyles said.
The report includes results from a
community survey conducted in 2011
that reveals the majority of Canberra
residents support the proposed cat
ownership controls and would also
support the introduction of a system
of cat registration and control of
stray cats in urban areas.
“At the moment, the ACT
Government doesn’t know the exact
number of cats that are in the region
because we’re one of the few States/
Territories left in Australia that
doesn’t use compulsory registration
of cats,” Ms Eyles said.
Based on a 2011 phone survey of
1,277 ACT households, about 11 per
cent of ACT households own more
than one cat with the total estimated
domestic cat population being
around 56,000.
Minister for Territory and
Municipal Services, Shane
Rattenbury, said the ACT
Government is currently working
with the Conservation Council ACT
on an education campaign targeting
cat owners in cat containment areas
as well as cat owners living in areas
close to nature reserves.
“The campaign aims to increase
community awareness of the impacts
cats have on the environment and
their responsibilities as cat owners
in the ACT. A cat containment
coordination committee including
ACT Government, RSPCA, ANU
and the Conservation Council has
been established to coordinate the
implementation of cat containment
across the ACT,” Mr Rattenbury said.
“While there may be
benefits from a Territory-wide
cat containment policy, I also
understand the challenges a
Territory-wide policy would create
for cat owners. If a policy like this
was introduced, it would require an
extensive education campaign and
a substantial lead-in time, possibly
up to 10 years.”
CEO of RSPCA ACT, Tammy
Ven Dange, said that the city-
wide cat containment proposal
may challenge cat owners, but
ultimately it will prolong the life of
their feline friends.
“Quite a few ACT residents are
already doing cat containment. Cat
containment for the ACT would be
good for wildlife but better for cats
– they would avoid getting run over
by cars, no fights with other cats or
dogs, no disease or infections… the
only thing is that owners will need
to adjust and accommodate to the
new rules and I think that will be
one of the hardest issues,” Ms Ven
Dange said.
Happily contained cats in Evatt. The ACT
Government is working on an education
campaign to increase community awareness of
the impacts cats have on the environment and
the responsibilities of cat owners in the ACT.
Residents asked for patience on mowing
Residents concerned with grass
maintenance throughout Canberra
are being asked for patience as
Territory and Municipal Services
staff and contractors attempt to
keep up with demands.
According to Minister for
TAMS, Shane Rattenbury, “there
has been significant growth this
season and TAMS are working
really hard to keep up”.
The ACT Government has a base
mowing fleet comprising 80 internal
ride-on mowers which are supported
throughout the mowing season by
up to 20 additional contract mowers,
and is responsible for mowing 4,500
hectares of irrigated and non-
irrigated grass in urban open space
and at the urban edge.
TAMS also undertake a range
of measures to manage reserves
including grazing, slashing,
prescribed burning, physical removal
and chemical vegetation control. The
Bushfire Operations Plan for 2014/15
will see 6,028 hectares grazed across
75 locations.
However, criticism of the mowing
program includes suburbs being on
the mowing schedule, but nothing
happening, and concern of long
grass being a fire hazard as well as
hiding snakes.
In terms of the mowing schedule,
Mr Rattenbury said it “is intended to
be a guide only”.
“Due to the scale and diversity of
mowing requirements, the mowing
program is reviewed weekly to ensure
the most efficient use of resources
across Canberra. Resources are
allocated as required,” he said.
TAMS has increased the mowing
schedule to six days to try to keep up
with the growth.
“I understand it’s frustrating
for the community, but we ask for
your patience,” Mr Rattenbury said,
suggesting that if “you’ve got the
mower out on the weekend you
could always lend a hand and mow
some of your local open space”.
Addressing residents’ concerns
about fire danger, Mr Rattenbury
said TAMS staff have been
monitoring the curing and loading
of grass fuels across the Territory
and are using this information
to strategically manage the fuel
management grazing program.
“Grass only poses a fire risk
once it reaches around 70 per cent
curing,” Mr Rattenbury said. “The
official curing level is currently 60
per cent. With the grass curing
now increasing and as such grass
growth slowing, hazard reduction
mowing has commenced on the
urban fringe with the aim of
finishing by mid-December.”
With regard to snakes, Mr
Rattenbury said they can be a
common sight in urban areas during
spring and summer as they are
looking for water and can be found
in long and short grass as well as on
paths and roads.
“Snakes are protected in the ACT
and should be left alone as they are
generally very timid animals who
head for cover at the first sign of
human activity,” he said.
“The ACT Government does not
remove snakes from public open
spaces; if you see a snake, move
pets and children away for an hour
or until the snake moves off. Avoid
walking through long grass where
visibility is low.”
- Allison Redman
PhotoK.Eyles
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