Questions about the Domestic Animal Management Plan

• What is a Domestic Animal Management Plan?

• The Domestic Animal Management Plan outlines our strategies, services and programs used to promote responsible pet ownership and address animal management issues across Yarra.

  The Domestic Animal Management Plan is one tool we use to promote responsible pet ownership, pet related education, and advise residents and pet owners of their rights and responsibilities under the guiding legislation.

  It is an important document both for our Animal Management team and for residents and pet owners who either live in or use Yarra's resources with their pets.

• Who else will we consult with when developing our plan?

• Alongside the broad community engagement, the Council Officers will consult with other key stakeholders including:

  • sporting clubs
  • dog walking groups
  • local veterinarians
  • domestic animal businesses
  • RSPCA
  • Parks Victoria
  • the Lost Dogs Home
• When will the plan be finalised?

• Once the consultation has finished, we’ll use your feedback to create a revised draft of the plan. This will be presented to Council and considered for adoption later this year.

• Where do my pet registration fees go?

• Your registrations fees contribute to many key Council services, including:

  • dog parks, including off leash areas and fenced dog parks
  • dog poo bags and bins
  • pounds and shelter facilities
  • free information booklets and fact sheets
  • community discounted microchip and desexing days
  • discount incentive schemes for new registrations
  • animal management staff to support the collection and return of stray animals to owners
  • State Government run events, incentive schemes and educational information

  We also use pet registration data to plan emergency activities and support pet owners if required.

• What constitutes a dangerous or menacing dog?

• The Domestic Animals Act 1994 specifically defines what constitutes a dangerous/menacing/restricted breed dog.

  A dog can be declared dangerous or menacing by a council officer if it dog rushes at someone or acts dangerously causing the death of or serious injury to a person or other animal by biting or attacking.

  There are very strict controls on the housing, exercising and ownership of menacing/dangerous dogs. If found to be dangerous, the dog will also be added to a state-wide Victorian Declared Dog Registry.

• I'm not a pet owner, can I still provide my feedback?

• We want to hear from you, whether you own a pet or not, on what is most important to you about managing pets in Yarra. Your feedback will help to inform Council’s animal management service priorities over the next four years.

Questions about the cat curfew

• What is a cat curfew?

• A cat curfew is a specified timeframe where cats must be securely contained to the owner’s premises.

  Council currently has a 7pm to 7am cat curfew that came into place on 1 January 2024.

• Why is Yarra City Council exploring a 24 hour cat curfew?

• Council currently has a 7pm to 7am cat curfew that came into place on 1 January 2024 after extensive community engagement.

  A commitment was made that Council would further explore whether a 24-hour cat curfew would be possible to continue to improve the health and safety of pet cats and local wildlife after the adoption of the night-time curfew.

  Before proceeding with the feasibility study, we want to check in with our community whether they would support Council exploring a 24-hour cat curfew to help manage cats in Yarra.

• Do other councils have cat curfews?

• Yes. Many inner-city councils already have a cat curfew or are in the process of introducing one.

• How do cat curfews benefit cats?

• Research conducted across Australia has shown the following benefits for cats when they are kept indoors:

  • Reduces risk of disease - Research shows that cats are more likely to catch a disease off other roaming cats if they are allowed out at night.
  • Less chance of injury - Research shows that cats are more likely to get into fights, catch feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) or get hit by a car if they are allowed to roam at night.
  • Less chance of going missing - Cats may get lost in unfamiliar territory or may get accidentally locked in garages or sheds.
  • Reduces exposure to extreme weather - Cats can sometimes roam far from their home and this puts them at risk of being exposed to weather extremes such as thunderstorms, frost and heat.
  • Protects Yarra's ecosystem - Cats are predators by nature and kill millions of native Australian animals, including birds and marsupials, each year.

Questions about dog off leash areas

• Are dog off leash areas addressed as part of the Domestic Animal Management Plan?

• No, the identification of dog off leash areas is not included as part of the Domestic Animal Management Plan. This is included as part of Council’s Open Space Strategy 2020.

• Is the management of Citizen’s Park considered as part of the Domestic Animal Management Plan?

• No, the management of Citizen’s Park is not included as part of the Domestic Animal Management Plan. However, Council will consider the recommendations of the Citizen’s Park Working Group when revising the DAMP before it is considered by Council.