August 26th, 2022Have your say on pets

Do you have a dog or cat, or want to have a say on how pets are managed in Hepburn Shire? Council’s draft Domestic Animal Management Plan (DAMP) is now open for feedback.

Mayor, Cr Tim Drylie, said the draft plan is informed by what Council heard from the community last year.

“More than 450 submitters completed a survey last year on how they would like to see dogs and cats managed in our Shire. The main areas for concern were nuisance cats, dog aggression and attacks, dog walking issues, and a lack of education and enforcement,” said Cr Drylie.

“This feedback has guided the development of the draft plan, which has a focus on reducing instances of nuisance animals and promoting animal welfare.”

Some of the objectives of the new plan include investigation and implementation of a cat curfew, development of an off-lead dog park masterplan (which is progressing this financial year), easier reporting of dog attacks, and increased community education.

There are 2273 dogs and 817 cats registered in Hepburn Shire.

“So many households have a dog or cat or have neighbours with pets. This draft plan affects most residents in our Shire so I would really urge people to take a look and let us know what they think,” said Cr Drylie.

“You don’t need to be a pet owner to take part, we want to hear from everyone in the community.”

Read the draft plan and complete an online survey at https://participate.hepburn.vic.gov.au/ or read the plan and complete a survey at your local Council hub. Feedback will be accepted until 5pm on Thursday 8 September.