Catfight dogs council plan for sex change

By Sarah Schwager
LAST week’s Casey Council meeting turned into a catfight.
Councillors were deciding whether to change the local law so that council could refuse to register cats and dogs unless they were desexed.
Mayor Colin Butler said the Australian Animal Protection Society’s Keysborough Shelter constantly had to put down unwanted kittens.
“Many councils are introducing compulsory desexing,” Cr Butler said.
“Stray cats do so much damage to the local environment. We’ve got to do something about it.”
He said if 20 local councils make desexing of pets compulsory, the State Government has said it will make it state legislation.
But councillor Lorraine Wreford said there were already plenty of rules and regulations to do with pets, including cats not being allowed out at night time.
“What’s next? Are we going to shoot wild cats?” she said.
“I am a cat lover. Why are we picking on the poor pussy cats? I don’t think we need to do this.”
Councillor Janet Halsall said she was an ardent cat lover but still supported cat desexing.
Council will now give notice of its intention to amend the local law and meet back in August to discuss any submissions made about the amendment.
Only new cats and dogs will be required to be desexed to be able to be registered.