Darwin Council Passes Law Requiring Cats To Be Kept On Leash

Seeing a dog on a leash outdoors is something completely natural.

For decades we have been taking our pooches out for walks because not only do they need the exercise, it's good getting them out of the house to interact with nature and maybe some other dogs.

But it's a hell of a lot stranger seeing cats on leashes.

Joel Abroad/Creative Commons

They're certainly not known for having to get out and about (although there are some tabbies out there that could use a walk) because they do it on their own volition.

Whether it's strutting around the home, climbing some of the apparatuses in your place, or slinking through the gate to prowl the neighbourhood, cats usually do their own thing.

But if you're a cat owner in Darwin, then you're going to have to follow some rules.

The local council has passed a rule that requires owners to have their cats on leashes whenever they're outside the property perimeter.

Darwin Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis hopes the move will protect native species.

kniemla/Creative Commons

Alderman Robin Knox has been pushing for the policy for months, arguing that cats can be a pretty brutal animal if they're left unchecked.

"Council by-laws require all cats in the municipality to be registered and not to leave the owner's property unless under effective control (caged or on lead)," Alderman Knox said.

"The development of new suburbs provides the opportunity for public education of the application of a cat containment policy and for council to apply the policy from the establishment of the new suburbs.

"Without a cat containment policy it is difficult for council to enforce these by-laws. "The policy would serve to clarify the public's understanding of containment methods."

Topics: Community, Animals, Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

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