Purrr-fect start for Council’s new pet strategy

The first official day of Sunshine Coast Council’s Domestic Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Strategy 2014-2020 yesterday saw 136 pets become microchipped and around half of these also registered.

Community Programs Portfolio Councillor Jenny McKay said Council was encouraged to have received this positive response and feedback from pet owners towards the new strategy and its responsible ownership focus.

“At yesterday’s community launch event we were pleased to see more than 300 people bring their dogs and cats to enjoy a fun morning out, with all pets under control and well behaved,” Cr McKay said.

“Now the owners of 106 dogs and 30 cats can be safe in the knowledge their furry friend will be more easily identified and quickly returned home if they go missing.

“Council officers do what they can to get a lost animal home in the first instance, rather than taking it to the pound however, unfortunately if the animal is not registered or microchipped or their details are not up-to-date we often have to wait for the animal owner to come to us.

“Our data shows only 19% of the impounded cats and dogs are registered and only 36% are microchipped.”

Cr McKay said the new strategy would act as a tool for promoting and enhancing responsible pet ownership practices, whilst informing the community about Council’s role and future priorities in animal management.

“By 2031, it is estimated there will be a total 90,000 dogs and 54,000 cats within the Sunshine Coast Council region. The region already boasts a strong cat and dog population which is due to increase to this level in line with urban development and population growth,” she said.

“This means there will be growing demand on animal management services and infrastructure. In order to provide a sustainable level of service into the future, and enhance the wellbeing and successful integration of animals and community, the advancement of responsible pet ownership performance is fundamental.

“The strategy endorses the vision of ‘your pet, your responsibility’, signifying that keeping a cat or dog is a considerable and often long-term commitment and responsibility – both socially and economically.

“Responsible pet ownership involves more than caring for the health, welfare and safety of one’s cat or dog. Owners are responsible for ensuring their animal is well behaved, does not create a nuisance or endanger others.

“Given the areas of registration, microchipping, desexing and mitigating nuisance behaviours are identified in the strategy as key to improving responsible pet ownership in the community and as a priority focus for Council, we couldn’t ask for a better launch day result.

“After doggedly pursuing our special guest, cheeky TV character Agro, we even managed to turn him into a responsible pet!

“A special thank you to our many pet partners for their assistance with the successful launch including 4 Paws, Sunshine Coast Animal Refuge, RSPCA, Sunshine Coast Dog Obedience Club, WILVOS, Animal Angels Rescue, Narga, Moreton Bay Council, Bark Busters, Dogmaster, Pet Stock and Sunshine Coast Laundromutt.”