Cat management for Magnetic Island
Richard Murray, Shane Scriggins, Denise Bowman, Rick Speare
Abstract
Measuring outcomes in urban animal management has never been a strength. In fact, doing research and development of any kind in the field of animal management has had little support in the past.
Animal management has tended to be seen as reactive, regulatory - something councils do because they have to, not because they want to. Murray and Scriggins at the Adelaide UAM Conference in 1997, reported on research work the Townsville City Council was doing with animal management (principally cat management) on Magnetic Island. The project measured attitudes and indicators both before and after implementing a specific Local Law for the Island. It was also an opportunity to see how supportive this 'test' community was of both the need for animal management services and for the measures that were used in this case.
The main idea behind the Magnetic Island project was to test the notion that animal management can be shown in a positive light as a valuable community service - pro-community and pro-pet and pro-active. The authors think this has been achieved and venture to suggest that the 'unattractive' tag for animal management is today less relevant as a result. The fact that Townsville City Council was prepared to invest some $20,000 in this undertaking is in itself an indication of a new attitude. This has been a major undertaking in animal management research and development. It hopefully signals further evidence of an emerging infrastructure that has for so long been considered a forgotten duty in local government.
About the authors
Richard Murray
Chiron Veterinary Services
176 Thurigowa Dve Kirwan Qld 4817
Ph 07 4773 4111 Fx. 07 4723 1043
Email. murrayrw@usa.net
Dick Murray has been heavily involved in Urban Animal Management for some 20 years now. While he owns and works in a busy veterinary practice, Dick's all consuming 'extra-curricular' activity is UAM. If better UAM means better quality of life for pets, pet owners and indeed the whole community, it has to be a worthwhile exercise.
Shane Scriggins
Health Services,
Townsville City Council
PO Box 1268
Townsville Qld 4810
Ph. 07 4727 9565 Fx. 07 4727 9054
Shane Scriggins started working in animal control with the Brisbane City council in 1983. Shane has obtained his TAFE Certificate of Animal Control Practices qualification and his TAFE Certificate of Business Management. He is the Townsville City Council's Technical Officer for Animal Management as well as a member of the UAM conference committee.
Denise Bowman
Anton Breinl Centre for Public Health and Tropical Medicine
James Cook University
Townsville Qld 4811
Rick Speare
Anton Breinl Centre for Public Health and Tropical Medicine
James Cook University Townsville Qld 4811
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