Project Background:

The Victorian Government amended the Domestic Animals Act 1994 (the Act) to require that all Councils have a Domestic Animal Management Plan (DAMP). This amendment aimed to improve animal management in Victoria. The DAMP is a strategic plan for Councils to effectively manage animals and encourage responsible pet ownership. As its purpose is based on tailoring a plan for communities, it must be based on local issues.

Council has clear and defined roles in animal management as outlined by the Plan and the Act. These include:

• promoting responsible pet ownership in the City of Yarra
• responding to issues raised by the community about nuisance animals (e.g. barking dogs)
• enforcing the legislation relating to animals
• encouraging the registration of companion animals
• educating the community on topics related to animal management and control.

Yarra City Council encourages responsible animal ownership and recognises the positive benefits associated with pets. Animal ownership can provide community members with opportunities to connect with other people and encourages greater use of open space.

Our current DAMP was up for renewal based on a 4-year legislated cycle (2021-24). A community engagement was undertaken to gather feedback on key requirements of the DAMP before it was presented to Council for adoption.

What did we ask?

The questions were broken into two sections:

• Questions on the Domestic Animal Management Plan
• Questions on Animal Management Services at Yarra City Council

Questions asked about the Domestic Animal Management Plan

• Do you agree that the following programs and initiatives will help Council manage domestic animals and pets?
• One of the actions proposed within the draft Domestic Animal Management Plan is to understand the feasibility of a 24-hour cat curfew across the City of Yarra. If this was feasible, would you support Council exploring a 24-hour cat curfew to help manage domestic animals?
  • Please explain your response.
• Which of the following are most important to you when using parks and public spaces?'
• Are there any issues or ideas relating to animal management that are not addressed within the draft Plan?

Questions on Animal Management Services at Yarra City Council

• Do you own or care for a dog or cat?
  • Please mark Yes, No or Unsure to the following questions.
    • Are your dogs or cats microchipped?
    • Are your dogs or cats registered with Yarra?
    • Are your dogs or cats desexed?
      • What do you think is the primary reason dogs and cats in Yarra are not desexed?
• Have you ever contacted Yarra City Council regarding a dog or cat issue?
  • What was your experience with Council?
  • Please tell us your level of agreement with the following statements. Please indicate your level of agreement from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree”.
• Would you like to receive responsible pet ownership information?
  • What type of responsible pet ownership information are you interested in?
• Do you have any suggestions on how we can improve animal management services for the benefit of the community?
• Do you have any other comments on the Domestic Animal Management Plan or Animal Management Services at Yarra City Council??

What we heard and how it influenced the final plan?

The community feedback we received provided a clear direction for the revised DAMP. The key themes from the engagement include a desire for more education, safe and well-maintained areas, clearer information about responsible pet ownership and designated areas for pets in open space, enhancing the customer experience when registering animals or providing Council feedback or complaints, balancing the needs of both park users and pet owners, and proactive enforcement, specifically:

• Views on 24/7 cat curfew: There were different views on this topic with 297 (46.6%) in favour, 262 (41.1%) against and 78 (12.2%) unsure. As there was no clear majority in favour of a 24/7 cat curfew, it has not been included in this DAMP.

• Shared spaces and cleanliness: The highest-rated priority for public spaces was cleanliness (444 respondents). This was followed by a strong desire for accessible dog waste bins, bag dispensers and other infrastructure.

• Safety and co-use of parks: 238 respondents (37.30%) valued being able to enjoy public spaces without unwanted interactions with off-leash dogs. However, 346 (54.20%) also want more dedicated, safe, and secure areas for their dogs to socialise, such as fenced off-leash areas. There was a need for clearer signage, consistent enforcement, and careful co-design of public spaces to cater to both dog owners and other park users.

• Owner responsibility: The need for owners to take greater responsibility for their pet's behaviour and waste was a key theme which emerged through this consultation. This reinforces the need for strong education campaigns and enforcement across Yarra.

• Administrative processes: While compliance with microchipping (510 out of 515 pet owners who responded) and desexing (477 out of 515 pet owners who responded) are high , there is a call to simplify the pet registration process further. The community wants it to be more user-friendly and digitally accessible, which could help boost compliance. Respondents who have not desexed their pets cited reasons such as health concerns, financial constraints, and breeding purposes.

• Nuisance and stray animals: Common complaints focused on nuisance dogs and cats as well as abandoned pet waste. The feedback confirms that these issues are a priority for the DAMP, which will include updated response and education strategies.

While the DAMP focuses on specific objectives, a strong theme from community feedback was the importance of improved pet-friendly infrastructure. Residents included requests for features such as more bins, water fountains, and secure, fenced off-leash areas. This feedback has been shared with the relevant Council teams, such as Open Space and Capital Works, to help inform their strategies, budget bids and asset programs occurring over the next 4 years.

To learn more about the feedback we received and how we responded, read the Community Engagement Report using the link below

What happens next?

Council will now submit the adopted Plan to the State Government by 4 December 2025 in line with our legislative responsibilities outlined in the Domestic Animals Act 1994. Once endorsed by the State Government it will guide how we manage dogs and cats in our city over the next 4 years

Visit the project page

To read more about this consultation please visit the Draft Domestic Animal Management Plan review project page on Your Say Yarra.