(25/11/2019) Have your say on proposed cat laws

Fremantle residents are being asked to have their say on a proposed new local law to control cats and protect native wildlife.

Earlier this month the Fremantle Council’s Finance, Policy Operations and Legislation Committee voted to give notice of its intention to create the City of Fremantle Cat Management Local Law 2020.

The City of Fremantle already conducts a regular trapping program for cats and other feral animals in parks and nature reserves.  

The proposed Cat Management Local Law will designate 12 areas within the City of Fremantle as cat prohibited areas, including parks like Booyeembara Park and Sir Frederick Samson Park, beach reserves and golf courses.

If any registered cat is captured in one of the proposed cat prohibited areas the owner would be committing an offence and subject to a $200 fine.

It is a legal requirement in Western Australia that all domestic cats over 6 months old be sterilised, microchipped, wearing a tag in a public place and registered with their local government.

The proposed cat law will also require cat owners to have a permit to keep more than three cats.

The City will be hosting two drop-in information sessions on Saturday 7 December. One will be at Booyeembara Park from 8:30-10:30am, and the other will be at Point Direction Reserve in North Fremantle from 8:30am-10:30am.

A copy of the proposed cat law can be downloaded from the My Say Freo website and is also available at the City of Fremantle administration office at Fremantle Oval.

The public submission period will close on 28 January.

For more information and to have your say visit the Cat Management Local Law page on the My Say Freo website.