Outrage as 183 Cats Euthansed by the Shire of Swan under new local cat laws since March 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) November 23, 2009 -- Perth, Western Australia

Pet owners worst fears have now been realized with confirmation by the Cat Haven and Local community newspaper the ‘Kalamunda Reporter’ that hundreds of local cats are being trapped and euthanased before pet owners have the chance to reclaim them from the Shire of Swan pound.

Out of the 222 cats impounded by the Shire of Swan since March 2009 with local cat laws giving local residents the right to trap their neighbours cats, 183 of these cats have been euthansed. Only 19 of these cats were reclaimed by their owners in time and a further 20 cats were re-housed. Such alarming statistics showing 83% of cats being trapped under these new local cat laws are being euthansed by the Shire of Swan.

The Cat Haven’s repeated requests for consultation and better management of these local cat laws have been reported by the Kalamunda Reporter on the 17/11/2009, as being ‘ignored’ by the Shire of Swan.

Interestingly, the City of Joondalup tried introducing similar formalized cat laws to come into effect by October 1st, 2009 and these have been disallowed by the Legislative Council on the 15th September, 2009 and will now not be going ahead.

There currently seems to be a great imbalance in statewide policies and laws regarding cats and cat ownership in the State of Western Australia.

With no active regulations set in place to protect the welfare of cats being trapped under these new local cat laws, cruelty to animals and the euthenasation of much loved pets is the new reality faced by pet owners in the Shire of Swan.

For more information about local cat laws and recent media updates on cat laws in Western Australia visit Aussiecats.com – the voice of cat lovers in the Australian community.

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