Cats registered in Wyndham for the first time will have to be desexed in a Wyndham council push to deter unwanted litters and stray cats.
Councillors voted at their Monday night meeting to introduce mandatory desexing for any newly registered cats as part of a range of measures to reduce the number of impounded animals, prevent unwanted cat pregnancies and better manage strays.
The council is also keen to boost the number of domestic animal registrations.
Other measures being introduced by the council include:
- Reducing registration fees for cats to reduce the financial burden on owners;
- Identifying unregistered dogs and cats through door-knocking and other enforcement measures;
- Implementing a return home process for identifiable dogs and cats rather than impounding them; and
- Increasing cat-trapping programs to remove feral or stray cats.
The council is a partner with The Lost Dogs home in the launch of a mobile cat desexing service.
Cat owners will be able to desex their cats for the reduced rate of $50, which will also include microchipping and free registrations until April 10 next year.
Logs Dogs Home chief executive and former Wyndham council chief executive Kerry Thompson said the service would help in areas with high numbers of stray cats.
“We know that desexed cats are less likely to stray or contribute to Melbourne’s large population of un-owned and wild cats,” Ms Thompson said.
“They are also generally healthier and less likely to exhibit nuisance behaviours, which in turn helps them to be more lovable and affectionate companions. And, most importantly, they’re unlikely to be abandoned by their owners.”
