Perth Voice Interactive

“DEEPLY disappointing” – the group pushing for cats to be kept at home are dismayed after Bayswater council deleted its new cat containment law under threat of being held in contempt of WA Parliament.

Bayswater council, like many others, is trying to bring in laws to contain cats on owners’ properties to protect wildlife.

But the state’s Joint Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation, which ensures council rules don’t contradict any state rules, declared Bayswater had no power to make that rule under the WA Cat Act 2011 and ordered it to remove the clause from a new cat policy (“Bayswater backs down over kitty contempt risk,” Voice, September 2, 2023). 

That’s despite the JSCDL having previously allowed near-identical laws in Northam.

Responsible Cat Ownership Stirling is a group of residents which formed in hopes of encouraging Stirling council to bring in rules preventing cats from roaming in order to protect prey animals and keep them safe at home.

But Stirling council isn’t looking at any cat law changes until at least 2024.

The RCOS had pinned their hopes on Bayswater council standing firm against the JSCDL’s request to delete the law, hoping it’d encourage other councils to step up and control the kitties.

Optomistic

Following the decision, the group provided the Voice with this statement: “RCOS were pleased to be afforded time to give a deputation to the City of Bayswater, and optimistic in seeing that several councillors were willing to listen to not just our, but all deputations, asking CoB to keep clause 2.2 in their local cat law,” referring to the clause keeping cats on their owners properties.

“That the City voted to uphold the undertaking to the JSCDL and remove Clause 2.2 is deeply disappointing. 

“Whilst several councillors acted bravely, and in accordance with their residents’ wishes, the ultimate outcome has been a big blow to our domestic and native animals’ wellbeing. 

“The City of Bayswater have given in to the unreasonable, unexplained, and contradictory demands of the JSCDL and now the CoB have lost the faith of many of their residents and interested groups looking to the CoB for leadership.”

Only two councillors, Giorgia Johnson and Elli Petersen-Pik, wanted to test the JSCDL’s resolve and keep the clause. But the majority felt they were stuck in a tough spot, having already given an undertaking to the JSCDL last year to remove the clause from the cat law, meaning they could be held in contempt if they kept it.

There was one win for the cat containment crew out of the whole affair: The council’s original cat policy would have banned cats from nine specific sites, mainly vulnerable wetlands.

While Bayswater’s policy can’t keep cats contained altogether, after consulting with community groups the list of cat-prohibited sites has grown to 42. 

On the list of protected sites are parks like McPherson Bushland, Hillcrest Living Stream, Tranby Reserve and Peninsula Farm.

Rangers will be hard-pressed to police so many sites so they’ll be starting by putting their limited number of traps down in the most sensitive environments.

by DAVID BELL