Help us look after pets

THE City of Greater Geelong is eager to hear your thoughts on pet ownership and animal wellbeing for the development of the Domestic Animal Management Plan (DAMP).

This legislative plan is updated every four years and outlines how we manage cats and dogs in Greater Geelong.

The plan aims to balance the needs of pet owners with those of the wider community.

It also considers the needs for environmental protection from the impacts of our pets, promotes responsible pet ownership and addresses legal issues.

The 2022-25 DAMP aimed to address animal management issues ranging from open space needs, animal identification and lost pets, to dog attacks and cat desexing.

Actions from the plan also included the construction of dog parks at Lara and Drysdale.

The DAMP takes into consideration the entire community – not just pet owners – to ensure we can all live harmoniously with our four-legged friends.

So regardless of whether you have a beloved canine or feline, or any other type of pet, we would love to hear from you.

In Geelong we love our pets – they’re part of our families and contribute greatly to our quality of life.

Greater Geelong has one of the largest animal populations of any Victorian municipality, with about 38,000 cats and dogs registered.

So, most of us encounter pets daily when venturing into Geelong’s public spaces.

We don’t want the plan to go barking up the wrong tree, and we’re seeking public input to balance the views of pet owners and the broader community.

Walkers, cyclists, runners, wildlife conservationists and other community members all have a role to play in this plan.

Your feedback helps us to identify any key areas that require additional education or support from our Animal Management team for the coming four years.

This team responds to more than 6,000 animal-related requests per year and the DAMP is a vital resource to help them meet the changing needs of our region.

We want to work together to create a plan that truly reflects community attitudes toward domestic animals. This way we can continue to share our spaces safely, have healthy pets and protect the environment.

To ensure we capture a broad scope of views, City officers are hosting a series of in-person consultations for those who have questions or wish to discuss the plan.

Pop up consultations will also be held at a range of popular reserves and trails to capture the thoughts of residents who frequent our open spaces, while hard copies of the survey are available from our customer service centres.

Engagement closes at 5pm, Sunday, April 20. To leave your feedback online and learn more about the existing DAMP, head to yoursay.geelongaustralia.com.au/DAMP2026

Cr Chris Burson

You Yangs Ward,

City of Greater Geelong