Have your say on the revised Cat Containment Policy

Published on 23 August 2024

Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council is seeking community feedback on a revised cat containment policy that will require all cats in Queanbeyan-Palerang to be contained from July 2026.

Council first adopted a Cat Containment Policy in 2021 which applied to specific cat containment areas. This revised policy is proposed to apply to all cats in Queanbeyan-Palerang.

The revised Cat Containment Policy has two stages.

• All cats born on or after 1 January 2025 will need to be contained from 1 July 2025.
• All cats, of any age, must be kept within your property from 1 July 2026.

Cats in the existing cat containment areas including South Jerrabomberra, Elmslea Grove, Jumping Creek, parts of Googong and other new greenfield developments are already required to be contained.

This policy asks owners of cats to follow similar rules to dog owners by keeping them under effective control when outside their property. This could include being exercised on lead or transported in a crate.

Cat containment policies are becoming more common as the impact of roaming cats on native wildlife is better understood. More than 50% of Victorian councils have introduced requirements to keep cats contained as well as in the ACT.

Studies undertaken by the Threatened Species Recovery Hub also show that cats kept safely at home are less likely to pick up diseases, live longer lives, and are less likely to be injured.

This draft policy is on public exhibition until 9 October 2024

Read the policy and have your say at yourvoice.qprc.nsw.gov.au or by email to council@qprc.nsw.gov.au, mail to PO Box 90, Queanbeyan NSW 2620, or delivering a written response in person at one of our offices.