Council cat squad checking rego fees [supplied]
After the great floods, the common affliction amongst leaders, “water on the brain”.
█ The ‘thinking’ – DCC cat control remit for LGNZ AGM
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At Twitter:
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“There may be issues with cats but they also serve a useful purpose in controlling pests. The cat population doubled to two at my place last year, and we have more tui and bellbirds around than ever, as well as visits by kereru and eastern rosellas and fantails and waxeyes. The cats occasionally catch a bird but most often it is a sparrow or a thrush. But it looks like the Dunedin council and some others are keen on requiring the herding of cats. They kept as quiet as they could on cats during the local body elections, and now mid term they try to foist it on the public. Devious.” –Pete George at YourNZ
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Councils will now lobby the government to finish its National Cat Management strategy.
### radionz.co.nz 6:05 pm on 25 July 2017
RNZ News
Councils seek greater powers to control cats
By Michael Cropp – Wellington Local Government Reporter
The country’s councils are calling on the government to give them extra powers to protect wildlife from cats including microchipping, de-sexing and registration. Local bodies have the power to control dogs and their behaviour, but they only have jurisdiction over cats when they become a health risk. While the remit presented by Dunedin City Council at the meeting acknowledged the companion role of animals, it noted cats are a danger to wildlife. […] The controversial remit scraped through with just 51 percent of the vote at the Local Government New Zealand annual general meeting.
….Auckland mayor Phil Goff said his council abstained from the vote because it was not sure what it would mean for the 500,000 cats in the country’s largest city. “We are in favour of practical measures to protect native birdlife …. We’re not in favour of bureaucratic measures that might involve millions of dollars of council time and energy but doesn’t achieve the objectives that we set out to achieve,” Mr Goff said.
Read more
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More about ‘LGNZ The Blight’:
Local Government New Zealand – Media Release
Local government to debate four remits and elect new President at AGM
News type: National news | Published: 21 July 2017
The local government sector will voted on four issues when it gathers for its annual AGM in Auckland on Tuesday 25 July. There is a focus on litter legislation, local government funding, cat management and health in this year’s remits. The AGM follows this year’s LGNZ Conference, when over 600 delegates from local government and its stakeholders, industry and community will gather in Auckland for the two day event [23-25 July]. The theme of this year’s conference is Creating pathways to 2050: Liveable spaces and loveable places. Remits are voted on in a secret ballot and if passed will become official policy and be actioned by Local Government New Zealand. Local government will also be voting for a new LGNZ President to replace Lawrence Yule, who steps down after nine years in the role.
….National legislation to manage cats
The third remit was proposed by Dunedin City Council and asks that LGNZ lobby the Government to take legislative action as a matter of urgency to develop national legislation includes provision for cost recovery for cat management.
Throughout New Zealand councils are tasked with trying to promote responsible cat ownership and reduce their environmental impact on wildlife, including native birds and geckos. Yet, territorial authority’s powers for cats are for minimising the impact on people’s health and wellbeing, and regional councils’ powers are restricted to destruction of feral cats as pests. The remit seeks the protection of our wildlife and native species by seeking regulatory powers for cat control, including cat identification, cat de-sexing and responsible cat ownership.
….The LGNZ AGM is open to members only. Following the meeting, LGNZ will advise of the outcomes of all votes.
Read more
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Cat rangers and collars with bells on are some of the ideas Dunedin City Council wants to lobby Government for.
### Stuff.co.nz Last updated at 14:28, July 10 2017
Cat control: many Kiwi councils ready to lobby for national rules
By Libby Wilson
Councils around the country are looking to band together to rein in roaming moggies. Dunedin City Council has suggested its colleagues help it push the Government for national rules that could include cat rangers and shutting cats in overnight. Seven other councils around the country have given the idea, and its environmental focus, their backing ahead of a July vote at the Local Government New Zealand annual meeting.
Read more
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‘Vacuum of cat management policy and services in Dunedin’, local submission says.
### nzherald.co.nz 29 Jun, 2017 7:02am
Dunedin council proposes registration of cats in New Zealand
A Dunedin proposal that could result in the registration of cats in New Zealand will be discussed nationally. The proposal from the Dunedin City Council, in consultation with seven other councils, will next month go to a Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) vote. If it is successful, LGNZ would make it a policy, and begin lobbying the Government to have it made law. The proposal could see the Government called upon to develop legislation for cats similar to the Dog Control Act. It already has the support of the Otago Regional Council, one of 78 councils which will vote on the idea.
Read more
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### ODT Online Wed, 17 May 2017
DCC seeks support for cat control
The Dunedin City Council will seek support from other New Zealand councils to gain greater control of cat management. If additional support from councils was gained, a remit would ask Local Government New Zealand to call upon the Government to give councils statutory power to control cats. The DCC was researching a Wellington City Council bylaw on microchipping cats. However, the current bylaw could not be enforced by non-compliance fees. Cat management would focus on the control of wild cats.
Link
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S T O P ● P R E S S
At Facebook:
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Related Posts and Comments:
26.7.17 RNZ Morning Report : Guyon Espiner sticks claws in Cat Cull & Curfews
25.7.17 To borrow from Stevie Smith : ‘the truth is I think he was already stuck’
22.7.17 Regional state of emergency lifted in Otago (incl Dunedin & Waitaki)
21.7.17 Rainy Day reading —The Spinoff : Ministry of Transport fraud case
21.7.17 DCC ORC : Heavy rain warnings preparations #PublicNotice
1.7.17 LGNZ, don’t wish ‘his lordship’ on New Zealand #VoteRachelReese
3.6.17 ODT updates mayoral vehicle serious injury crash information
24.4.17 LGOIMA vehicle (DCC) : Hyundai Santa Fe (2016) written off Jan 2017
10.12.16 Oh christ ! [LGNZ bureaucratic dopefest]
21.7.15 Dunedin to host LGNZ 2016 conference —FFS TIME TO TAKE IT OUT
21.5.15 DCC and LGNZ, total losers
2.2.15 LGNZ run by Mad Rooster Yule, end of story
10.10.14 Cull consorts with losers at LGNZ
26.6.14 LGNZ #blaggardliars
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
This post is offered in the public interest.
What if? Dunedin... 
Fri, 28 Jul 2017
ODT: Weekend river flows exceeded 1980 flood
By John Gibb
More water came down the Taieri River during last week’s flood than in the devastating 1980 deluge. Data presented by the Otago Regional Council showed while peak river flow was higher in 1980, at more than 2500cumecs compared with just below 2000cumecs, a greater volume of water came down the river in last week’s flooding. Council engineering, hazards and science director Gavin Palmer shared details about the magnitude of the flood and how its flood protection schemes on the Taieri Plain were working at two briefings on Wednesday. Cont/
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Oh dear, what about affected people and their properties….
Tue, 25 Jul 2017
ODT: Flood work vindicated – Woodhead
By John Gibb
Years of planning, hard work and multimillion-dollar spending have been vindicated through the effective performance of the Lower Taieri Flood Protection Scheme in the weekend flood. Otago Regional Council chairman Stephen Woodhead made that point yesterday as community organisations, including the council, and flood-hit farmers and other people continued their work to recover from the flood. “I’m very pleased that the scheme has performed” as expected, Mr Woodhead said. The council had earlier advised that the Taieri flood was the river’s second-biggest. Cont/
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Who is running the asylums.
The DCC cat control remit to the LGNZ AGM in type:
[begins]
Remit for the Local Government New Zealand Annual General Meeting
“That Local Government New Zealand lobby the Government to take legislative action as a matter of urgency to give councils matter of urgency to give councils statutory power to control cats.”
NATURE OF THE ISSUE
Throughout New Zealand many local authorities are individually trying to promote responsible cat ownership, good cat management and reduce the environmental impact cats have on our wildlife. The introduction of national legislation would help address these concerns and enable a consistent approach throughout New Zealand.
Concerns regarding nuisance caused by companion, stray and feral cats have been raised by the community via multiple channels, including unprompted comments in response to the Dunedin Residents’ Opinion Survey 2014 and Dog Control Survey. Cat control is an issue that has also been raised in submissions received on the review of bylaws that regulate dogs as well as the use of parks and reserves. Submitters have requested the Council take additional measures to control cats so that urban and rural wildlife is protected.
BACKGROUND TO IT BEING RAISED
Throughout New Zealand, companion cat and feral cat numbers are believed to be increasing. While the exact number of cats in New Zealand is unknown, the cat population is estimated at 1.4 million.
Councils are tasked with trying to promote responsible cat ownership and reduce their environmental impact on wildlife, including native birds and geckos. Yet, Council powers for cats are only for the purpose of minimising the impact on people’s health and wellbeing. The regional council s powers are restricted to destruction of feral cats as pests. There are no statutory powers available for the Council to implement an alternative solution such as requiring companion cat owners to control their cats to avoid or minimise the harm of companion cats on urban or rural wildlife.
This is confirmed by the Local Government Act 2002 which specifies that councils powers to make bylaws are restricted to matters of public welfare such as:
“a) protecting the public from nuisance;
b) protecting, promoting, and maintaining public health and safety;
c) minimising the potential for offensive behaviour in public places.”¹ (Emphasis added.)
While the Local Government Act 2002 provides in section 146(a)(v) that the Council may make a bylaw for the keeping of animals, these powers are restricted to ensuring cats kept on a property to avoid a nuisance or cause a health problem for people.
A council may not pass a bylaw to control cats for the purpose of generally protecting wildlife beyond the boundary of a reserve administered under the Reserves Act 1977, as the purposes for passing a bylaw specified in the Local Government Act 2002 are directed at ensuring that companion cat ownership does not adversely affect people.
This remit seeks the protection of our wildlife and native species by seeking regulatory powers for the Council to prescribe cat control measures for the protection of wildlife in urban and rural areas. Regulatory powers for companion cat control measures could include:
● Cat identification (e.g. collars and/or micro-chipping) of cats is a method of identifying the person that is the owner of the cat.
● Cat de-sexing.
● Responsible cat ownership (such as locking in cats overnight and wearing collars with bells).
A secondary issue is the power to enforce those measures by way of issuing an infringement notice for a breach of a bylaw. Currently, a council is not permitted to introduce infringement offences as Parliament has not yet enacted the regulations under the Local Government Act 2002 required to permit councils to create an infringement fine for a breach of bylaws.
On 16 May 2017 the Dunedin City Council made a resolution that Local Government New Zealand lobby the Government to take legislative action as a matter of urgency to give councils statutory power to control companion cats.
HOW THE ISSUE RELATES TO OBJECTIVES IN THE CURRENT WORK PROGRAMME
This issue relates to maintaining and enhancing the quality of New Zealand’s environment which is policy priority three in the LGNZ policy statement. Therefore this remit supports the work programme of LGNZ.
OUTCOME OF ANY PRIOR DISCUSSION AT A ZONE/SECTOR MEETING OR FIVE COUNCILS
To be advised.
SUGGESTED COURSE OF ACTION ENVISAGED
That Local Government New Zealand lobby the Government to take legislative action as a matter of urgency to give councils statutory power to control cats.
¹Section 145, Local Government Act 2002
[ends]
█ https://dunedinstadium.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/dcc-remit-for-the-lgnz-agm.pdf
At Twitter:
Not building on flood plains? That’s a revolutionary scheme. Might be quite a good idea.
‘We do it with dogs – what’s the problem?’ – Dunedin mayor defends controversial cat registration plan
Wed, 26 Jul 2017
TVNZ News Video Interview with Cat Cull
Source: Breakfast
WATCH https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/we-do-dogs-whats-problem-dunedin-mayor-defends-controversial-cat-registration-plan
Who is paying?
1. For the registration.
2. For the chipping.
3. For the rounding up and killing of the unchipped cats.
4. For the clean up of infestations of my big cuzzies Rattymajor.
Jus’ askin’ cos I might wanna move to the city too.
Poor households of Dunedin people, that’s who.
The whole thing is insane. Just work on genetics to sterilise male feral or average house cats.
ha ha very funny – and who will pay for the research? – the garmint?
The varmint (?)
Genetic modification for pest control (fauna) is already being funded.
Watch out, Kleinefeldmaus!
Another utterly baffled and amused interviewer.
ODT 28.7.17 (page 16)
@Elizabeth July 28th
The research needed to deal with the problem genetically would take time and then there is the problem of administering the method of impregnating the females with sterile cast. Rather tricky..
More effective with immediate results is to require that owners of all male cats have them castrated and females spayed. That would stop them in their tracks as it were. Any owners of these foul felines that were not so doctored be fined enormously – Great revenue earner to pay for the army of the council employed rat catchers that would be needed in due course once the cats disappeared.
That doesn’t cope with feral cats. There really is no issue that needs to be solved immediately. Fantasy by bloody greens like Cull.
There is in fact a very serious problem with feral cats.
Yet few will be surprised to learn that Cull has totally misunderstood the situation.
Feral cats are virtually invisible. The cats you can catch are the ones that were pets or born to pets then abandoned “because they will be able to catch prey and look after themselves.”
Bullshit. They can’t. They never learned from their mums, they are clueless where they can’t raid rubbish bags and compost heaps and OPs’ cats’ dishes.
Feral cats are muscle and sinew and bone. They stay out of sight of humans, They hunt efficiently, though not efficiently enough to keep rabbit populations down. Rabbit populations expand very fast, sometimes they’re down then a few good weeks and the hills are alive.
The cats that Cull’s cat-catchers will capture are almost certainly _abandoned_ cats if not actual pets. Their impact on birds is negligible, though in the city they do a fair amount of mouse and rat catching. Any cat that won’t slash an artery if you put your hand into the cage to pick it up, it’s not a feral cat. Dear little fluffy puddycats, no way. Those guys are hardass, they’d have Cull for an entree if he slipped on his own bullshit on their patch, a not unpredictable H&S risk.
He’s got it all arse-about-face, the wrong methods, the wrong cats. Feral cats aren’t genetically different but they might as well be. As for catching desexing and releasing, that’s a sane workaround for abandoned cats. Feral cats – a job only suited to vets with mental health issues involving desire for mutilation, infection and dozens of scars.
Nah. I don’t see feral cats as a big problem or one for councils to concern thenselves with. I’m with Phil Goff.
Hype. You say feral cats are not efficient enough to keep rabbit populations down. The reason for that should be clear to everybody. Feral cats don’t stand a chance against the biggest native bird and wild animal killer that haunts our land. 1080. Rabbits are poisoned with 1080, and feral cats and other wildlife and birds all prey on the poisoned rabbit carcasses. Bingo no more feral cats and native birds, and those rabbits that do survive breed like rabbits, and with the feral cats gone the cry goes out for more 1080 poison. I have recently been to the Southern lakes area where 1080 had been dropped, the bird life and the morning chorus were non existent, and not a cat in sight. Yet if one walks about the Town Belt and other Dunedin bush areas, there is a strong presence of both bird life and cats. The answer should be clear. Cull should bomb Dunedin with 1080. No birds, no cats, and the only chorus would be all the bullshit that comes out of the town hall.
Feral cats IN TOWN are a minor problem, v minor. Abandoned cats abound but they’re seldom skilled bird catchers and more likely to subsist on discarded KFC, competing with mice and rats for this resource.
Feral cats on farms and in the bush definitely are a problem, keen skink hunters as well as other prey. But not councils’ problem. There is no excuse for councils to get busy in people’s lives with their expensive demands: register, microchip. Especially when councillors and our amazingly sagacious Mayor haven’t done the basics to identify the real issue before galloping in on their plastic pony to address the wrong one.
Of course! As you might have guessed, I was pointing to just another hobgoblin being raised by Cull as Mencken defined. The feral cats are a problem for native birds in the Town Belt and likely any native bush remnants elsewhere. In the city not so much – and most responsible citizens do manage their pets breeding capability responsibly already. What I don’t like is the escalation of bureaucratic control of everyday human activity that increasingly entangles its citizens with costly red tape.
The negative effects of the recent floods are real and legitimate problems for local governments to solve. The mayor should be focussed upon that where it affects his particular patch – not cats.
One would think that the motivation is obvious.
Multiply registration fee (say $100 pa) x number of cats that people will register, which will be quite a few given that death appears to be the alternative. That’s the annual profit for DC, given that all the ‘services’ that these fees supposedly will contribute to will in reality either be non-existent or ‘user pays’…
Just you wait until he realises what a cash cow universal residents parking permits will be. How many of you can actually get your car off the street? If you can’t then you’re a potential cash cow and a set of familiar green digits will be pulling on your udders directly. It is after all ‘abhorent’ that any parked cars should obstruct cyclists on any Dunedin street – and that includes the dark back ones in Middlemarch. They are especially dangerous. The owners must be made to pay!!
From my point of view can’t wait for Cull de Moggie to make the change. And I’m not alone. Ratty and Vole are making plans – and then there’s Water Ratty – already got his eye on Lindsay’s Creek – y’know up by Chingford – planning on a bit of construction if ‘y know wot I mean. So all good I say.
At Twitter:
Horse the Cat, from Footrot Flats by Murray Ball
Received from Feline Rights New Zealand
Sun, 30 Jul 2017 at 3:57 a.m.
Greetings Elizabeth,
A brief message from us, thank you for your article on DCC and
their antifelinist activities, we found some links to recent
media reports appended to your article which we had not read.
We provide comprehensive coverage of antifelinism in New Zealand
on our website, including the DCC remit document itself:
http://felinerights.org
Our understanding is DCC had to tone down the remit paper and
re-write it to get Auckland City Council support. The remit
paper also came with a ‘background paper’. We are presently in
the process of sourcing the original document prior to it be
re-written and the ‘background paper’. Once we get these we’ll
publish them on our site.
Feel free to link to our site if you wish
All the Best,
Pete Rose (Secretary)
Feline Rights New Zealand
DCC Annual Plan 2017/18 process
Council – Annual Plan Deliberations
PUBLIC AGENDA
Monday 15 May 2017 at 11.00 am
Tuesday 16 May 2017 at 9.00 am*
Wednesday 17 May 2017 at 10.00 am
Go to https://infocouncil.dunedin.govt.nz/Open/2017/05/AP_20170515_AGN_549_AT_WEB.htm
*I note that for the Annual Plan Feedback Topics 2017/18, only 1 COMMENT was received for Cat Control.
ONE comment.
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Minutes:
5A Consideration of Additional Feedback
https://infocouncil.dunedin.govt.nz/Open/2017/05/AP_20170515_MIN_549.htm#PDF2_NewItem_N_1
Cat Control
Cr Christine Garey left the meeting at 10.09 am.
Moved (Cr Kate Wilson/Deputy Mayor Chris Staynes):
That the Council:
Seeks support for a remit to LGNZ as follows:
“LGNZ call upon Government to take legislative action as a matter of urgency to give Councils statutory power to control cats.”
Cr Christine Garey returned to the meeting at 10.11 am.
Motion carried (AP/2017/015)
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Today:
A LGOIMA request has been made to DCC by Elizabeth Kerr for electronic copy of All DCC reports/papers/documents that pertain to “Cat Control” produced in the years 2015-2017.