Call out for cat registration

DUE to a current shortage of cat vaccines, Golden Plains Shire staff are asking residents to ensure their feline friends are registered and have up-to-date vaccinations.

Local animal shelters do not accept cats who are not vaccinated due to the risk they can pose to other animals.

That means Golden Plains Shire by-laws officers can no longer take cats to animal shelters and the muncaplity itself does not have facilities to hold wandering cats.

If a cat’s owner cannot be found, it cannot be held by the Shire after business hours.

To limit issues, Golden Plains Shire staff are asking residents to keep their cat indoors whenever possible, update registration and microchip details, ensure cats are wearing their council registered tag, as well as consider desexing their animals and installing an outdoor enclosure.

Mayor Cr Brett Cunningham encouraged the community to ensure their pet is registered.

“When your cat is scanned for their microchip, council’s community safety officers can look up the microchip and if your cat is registered, council officers will have your details readily available so that you can be contacted and reunited you with your cat,” he said.

Cat trapping services have also been suspended and people with a cat trap are being asked to return them.