Draft Dog and Cat Management Plan 2018 - 2023

The mission of dog and cat management service delivery in the City of Burnside is:

“To create an environment in the City of Burnside in which all members of the community are kept well informed about the benefits and responsibilities of dog and cat ownership and are committed to being responsible dog and cat owners”.

Draft Dog and Cat Management Plan 2018 - 2023

The Dog and Cat Management Act 1995 (the Act) requires all councils in South Australia to prepare a plan relating to the management of dogs and cats in their area. The City of Burnside Dog and Cat Management Plan 2018 – 2023 (the Plan) has been prepared in accordance with the Act and will guide the management of dogs and cats within the council area for the next five years.

This Plan contains recommendations for a wide range of actions to be undertaken by the City of Burnside to achieve the aims and desired outcomes of the City’s Strategic Community Plan 2016 – 2026. It provides a basis and direction for Council from which it can plan and make future decisions that relate back to the wider council policy context. The Plan will be subject to ongoing review in line with any legislative changes to requirements.

This Plan is for a proactive approach to dog and cat management and it is acknowledged that some of the implementation of strategies in this Plan will need to be partnered with the State Government, the Dog and Cat Management Board and/or other relevant stakeholders.

The aims of this Dog and Cat Management Plan are to:

• Ensure Council meets its obligations under the Dog and Cat Management Act 1995.
• Investigate and implement best practice in promoting responsible pet ownership.
• Consider ways the Council could harness the benefits of owning pets.
• Establish priorities for animal management in the City of Burnside for the next five years.

The objectives of this Dog and Cat Management Plan are to:

• Promote the benefits of dog and cat ownership.
• Encourage responsible dog and cat ownership.
• Increase public safety and reduce public and environmental nuisances from dogs and cats.
• Ensure Council delivers effective and efficient and innovative dog and cat management services.

Dog and Cat Management Act 1995

Local councils are required to administer and enforce the provisions of this Act.

Substantial changes to the Dog and Cat Management Act 1995 were passed in Parliament during July 2016. The key legislative changes included the following:

Microchipping - From 1 July 2018 all dogs and cats (with limited exceptions) that are over three months of age are required to be mircochipped.

Desexing - Introducing a requirement to desex all dogs and cats born after 1 July 2018 and by the age of six months.

To view the entire list of key legislative changes, please refer to page 6 of the Plan.

How Do I Have My Say?

Council is seeking feedback on the Draft Plan before it is finalised and adopted. This Plan will guide the course of action to be undertaken over the next five years.

Have your say by submitting your comments via the Email Us tab below by 5 pm Monday 9 July 2018.

More Information

You can view the Draft Plan in the Document Library on this page (above right).

Alternatively, there are copies for you to view at the Customer Desk, located within the Civic Centre at 401 Greenhill Road, Tusmore.

If you would like further information, please contact Magnus Heinrich on 8366 4200 or by using the Email Us tab below.