400+ submissions received on proposed changes to animal management law
Date published: 25 November 2021
Townsville City Council has published a report on the outcomes of the public consultation undertaken on proposed changes to animal management laws.
Mayor Jenny Hill thanked the community for their input.
“Council staff proposed a number of amendments to the current laws which they believe strike the right balance between allowing residents to keep their pets and livestock while also ensuring they do not impact the amenity of our suburbs,” Cr Hill said.
“There is no doubt that the proposed changes elicited a significant amount of discussion in the community and that’s exactly what we wanted to happen.
“Ultimately, any changes to our local laws will be driven by the community’s feedback.
“By the end of the six weeks of public consultation, Council had received a total of 405 submissions and one registered petition.
“Council officers have now prepared a comprehensive report on the public consultation which is available for download from our website.
“I invite those interested to read the report and get an appreciation for the wide range of views expressed.”
Cr Hill said officers were now considering the feedback provided and would prepare a recommendation to Council for consideration.
“It is vital that our local laws remain modern and responsive, ensuring our residents are safe and that pet owners are responsible and considerate of others,” she said.
There are currently around 32,000 registered dogs and 3,700 registered cats throughout the city. Last year Council received 7,100 customer requests that related to animal management, including 584 excess animal complaints and more than 1,100 barking dog complaints.
The report is available for downloading from Council’s Have Your Say website.
