#25821
Sir Humphrey
Strataguru

    Until recently we had had 40 years of resolutions of general meetings imploring cat owners to keep their cats in at night or have bells etc. Never worked. Couldn’t be policed or enforced. Also, in our area, research has shown that most predation of native animals by cats occurs by day. For example, our suburb is a hotspot for some relatively uncommon ground-feeding parrots. 

    Now our last AGM adopted a new enforceable rule (ACT-speak for by-law) which requires all animals to be confined to the unit area except when under control and supervision of a responsible person. The rule is species-neutral. It applies as much to a dog or cat or tortoise. Obviously a small tortoise is adequately controlled because it can be easily caught and picked up if it is wandering off to somewhere it shouldn’t go. Some well behaved dogs are OK off lead but others clearly need the lead to be ‘under control’. The main thing is that now, if the animal is unaccompanied, its owner is unambiguously in breach of the rule. 

    I have two neighbours whose cats are normally indoors but they go out on the common property with their owners. Those particular cats stick close by to their respective owners and that is quite OK within our rules. Others take their cats out on a lead. Some have cat runs that give free access to part of the garden of the unit but not the common property. One cat run is a simple DIY construction with chicken wire. Another is an elaborate commercial product that includes a section slung under the unit’s balcony letting the cat climb. Both these examples are barely visible from outside the unit areas. 

    Some cats that had been accustomed to roaming were ‘grandfathered’ so they can continue to do so till they die or leave. No new animals will be added to the grandfathered animals list.