Dogs in Greater Bendigo will need to be kept on leads and cats confined to their owners' properties 24 hours a day from next year if a proposed order under the Domestic Animals Act is accepted at tonight's city council meeting.
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According to council documents, public feedback and the experience of animal services officers support the changes.
Of 194 online public submissions the council received on the proposals over an eight-week period from December last year, 89 were supportive of the cat containment change, with 30 opposed.
A total of 75 were supportive of the "default dogs-on-lead" proposal, with 15 opposed.
Submissions and a petition were also received on the proposed designation of new off-leash dog parks.
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As the result of community opposition to a number of proposed new off-leash areas, some sporting fields have been added to the list of areas where dog owners could exercise their animals.
No new off-leash parks are proposed at this stage, with these "subject to future budget processes", according to the documents.
The benefits of constraining dogs included a reduced threat of dog attacks, reduced conflict with users of sporting fields, less dog faeces left on sporting fields and unleashed dogs not approaching people in public.
City of Greater Bendigo animal management staff had investigated an average of 167 dog attacks and 82 "dog rushes" a year over the previous six years, the council said.
In 2020-21 the council reported 428 cases of canines roaming at large.
The benefits of the proposal to contain cats included reducing nuisance issues between neighbours, reducing the impact on native fauna and reducing fighting and disease transmission between animals.
It also suggests improved welfare for the animals who are at risk of injury from cars, human cruelty, poison baits, attacks from other animals and unwanted pregnancies when they roam.
The proposed timetable for the changes would see the requirement for dogs to be controlled on leashes implemented from January 1 next year.
The new cat containment rule, described as "a momentous change", would come into force from July 1.
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