Creation of new Animal Local Law 2021

We're making changes to a few of our Local Laws that will allow for the effective management, control and regulation of the keeping of animals within the City, and we want to hear from you!

At the 12 October 2021 meeting, Council authorised the City's Chief Executive Officer to provide public notice of the proposed repeal of the City of Vincent Dog Local Law 2007 and its intention to replace it with the Animal Local Law 2021. A few 'administrative' changes will also be made to the City's Health Local Law 2004, taking out select provisions of that Law relating to the keeping of animals, refining the details, and including them into the new Animal Local Law.

The new Animal Local Law aims to strike a balance between deregulation and the protection of public health and amenity.

The purpose and effect of the proposed Animal Local Law 2021 is to:

• introduce provisions to allow for the effective management, control and regulation of the keeping of dogs, cats, large animals, animals of potential burden, poultry, pigeons, miscellaneous birds and bees within the City;
• introducing a regulatory framework to effectively control and manage cat numbers, confinement and curfews for cats, consistent with the State Government review findings from November 2019; and
• to effectively deter failing to comply with select provisions of the proposed Animal Local Law 2021, by introducing modified penalties.

We are now inviting feedback on the draft Animal Local Law 2021. The proposed local law is available to view in full from the document library here.

At the same time, we would like to know your thoughts on particular interest areas including:

• keeping of chickens and bees;
• cat prohibited areas; and
• dog exercise areas.

Please note only the first section with the questions on the general support for the law is mandatory, if you only have feedback on dogs you can just do that section and skip through the rest. The same goes for cats or bees etc. Or you're welcome to provide your feedback on all topics. It's up to you.

Click the survey below to have your say.

Have your say

The submission period has now closed.