Limiting cats prowling on Peninsula

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Limiting cats prowling on the Peninsula

20 May 2019

Mornington Peninsula Shire is taking steps to reduce wandering and trespassing cats on the Peninsula.

The Shire is a now offering a full, start-to-end service cat trapping program to make it easier for residents.

The new program is a simple four-step process which safely and humanely removes the cat from a property:

residents place a request through the Shire

  1. a Shire officer will deliver the cage to the property at a time suitable for the resident
  2. the officer will collect the caged cat within 24 hours of the cat being trapped
  3. the cat is taken to the Community Animal Shelter for observation.

The trap can only be set from Sunday evening to Thursday evening and collections must take place between Monday to Friday from 8:30am – 3:30pm.

A cat is identified as trespassing or wandering any time it is not contained within their property 24/7.

What happens to the cat after the have been captured?

Once captured, the cat will be scanned for a microchip to see if the owner can be located. If not microchipped, a search will be conducted on the Shelter’s Lost Pets Listing to see if any cat is matching the description.

If there is no success with these two avenues, the Shire will place a photo and description of the cat on the Lost Pets page (mornpen.vic.gov.au/lostpets).

If the cat goes unclaimed within eight days, they will be temperament tested and vet checked to assess if they can be placed in the Shire’s Adoption Program or placed with a rescue group for rehoming.

In the past year, almost 200 unclaimed or surrendered animals have been given new homes through the Shire’s animal management programs.

All pets left vaccinated, desexed, microchipped and treated for fleas and worms. Mornington Peninsula residents are also given free registration for their new pet.

The Shire’s Community Animal Shelter and Pound prides itself on working with more than 20 rescue groups across Victoria and run an adoption program rehoming dogs, cats and livestock, ensuring as many unwanted pets as possible have a chance at finding their forever home.

Last year, more than 70 animals found new homes through rescue groups and 130 found new homes via the Shire’s Adoption Program.

If you would like to organise a cat trap or report your pet as lost, you can contact the Shire’s Environment Protection Unit on 5950 1050.

To learn more about Pet Rescue groups or to see what pets they have up for adoption, visit petrescue.com.au/groups/10803.

To learn more about the Shire’s adoption program visit mornpen.vic.gov.au/petadoption.

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