Hume council will look to implement a cat curfew as part of its Draft Domestic Animal Management Plan.
The draft plan is open now for feedback from the community, following consultation with the community to form the plan.
Almost 400 community members had their say on aspects of the plan, including the potential introduction of a cat curfew, during the initial stage of community feedback.
The results found 77.2 per cent of respondents were in support of a cat curfew, with the level of support for a cat curfew increasing since 2023.
More residents also supported a 24-hour curfew over a dawn to dusk curfew. If the plan is adopted, council said it will develop and present a proposal for a municipal cat curfew in 2026.
Also included in the plan, council plans to host a Hume City Pet Expo in 2028, focused on promoting responsible pet ownership.
Across Hume, there has also been a significant increase in the number of cats impounded, euthanised, and rehomed, with the number of stray, abandoned and unwanted cats a concern in the community.
To tackle this, council plans to collaborate with rescue groups, welfare organisations and veterinary providers to offer subsidised desexing programs and vouchers for low-income pet owners, as well as host local adoption events for cats and kittens.
The plan also addresses expectations of owners, including being clear about what ‘effective control’ of a dog means, and ways in which council can improve access to animal welfare and support, including investigating how to help pet owners affected by family violence, and carrying out a feasibility study into having a local animal shelter.
The draft plan was endorsed for community consultation at the 13 October council meeting, and Cr Jim Overend encouraged residents to have their say.
“I’d like to note there’s been the introduction of a cat curfew in this report. In 2024-2025, 2100 cats were impounded in Hume, which is a huge increase,” he said.
“It shows you the amount of animals or cats that are running feral out there. And I have personally had many calls from residents who have had complaints and are trying to request trapping services to eliminate these from happening.”
Feedback is open now until 13 November.
Details: https://participate.hume.vic.gov.au/domestic-animal-management-plan-draft
