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Proposed ‘De-Sexing’ Amendment to Local Laws.
Mornington Peninsula Shire is being actively encouraged by Victoria’s
premier animal welfare bodies to amend its Local Laws and introduce
requirements for de-sexing dogs and cats.
The Shire is seeking community views on the proposed amendment.
Residents are invited to lodge their written support or objections on
the issue.
The proposed amendment aims to reduce the huge number of unwanted pets
that are put-down each year by animal shelters and welfare bodies.
De-sexing dogs and cats can help to reduce issues such as animal
aggression, wandering ‘lost’ pets, cats ‘spraying’ and killing wildlife,
unreasonable noise, ‘backyard’ breeding, animal injuries and disease,
plus animal welfare and cruelty problems.
The proposed new Local Laws could require dogs and cats less than 10
years of age to be de-sexed before they can be sold or given away. (Dogs
and cats are unlikely to reproduce after they reach 10 years of age). It
is also proposed that anybody owning a cat over three months of age will
need to have it de-sexed. Kittens may conceive at just three months of
age and have their first litter at five months of age. A cat can
potentially be the original source for thousands of cats within a few
years.
The proposed amendments will not affect people who already own a dog
that has not been de-sexed prior to any new Local Laws being adopted. It
will not affect any dog owner unless they are selling or giving away
puppies.
The proposed exceptions to the de-sexing requirements include people who
are members of recognised animal organisations, such as the Victorian
Cat Fancy or the Victorian Canine Association; proprietors or registered
Domestic Animal Businesses for breeding’ as well as those people who
apply for a Local Laws Permit and can demonstrate they are planning to
breed responsibly (which may also mean complying with requirements of
the State Government’s breeding Code of Practice).
Animal Shelters and animal welfare groups are already required by State
law to de-sex dogs and cats prior to selling them, however pet shops are
not. The proposed amendment to the Shire’s Local Laws would address
these anomalies between pet shops and animal welfare groups within the
Mornington Peninsula.
The proposed amendment can in the longterm be expected to have a
preventative role to play in addressing the numerous dog complaints
received by the Shire each year. In the last 12 months the Mornington
Peninsula Shire has received complaints concerning 244 dog attacks, 182
dog rushes, 114 dog worries and 822 dogs ‘at large’, and there may have
been many others not reported.
The ‘Cat Crisis Coalition’ is lobbying the Victorian Government to amend
its existing legislation to provide for the compulsory de-sexing of all
cats in Victoria, except those used for licensed breeding – to reduce
the number of unwanted cats. The RSPCA put down 32,000 unwanted cats in
the last 12 months.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Mornington Peninsula residents are encouraged to communicate their
support or objections in regard to this proposed amendment of the Local
Laws by writing to:
Mornington Peninsula Shire
ATTENTION: Mark Howells
Private Bag 1000
Rosebud VICTORIA 3939
Or by email to:
custserv@mornpen.vic.gov.au
Submissions close on August 11, 2005.
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