The Sherbrooke Cat Law - does it work?

Garrique Pergl

Abstract

The significant impact of unregulated cats on the environment - caused by predation and nuisance - was raised publicly in 1985 by a number of Sherbrooke conservation groups. Council prepared a draft byelaw which concentrated on declaration of a buffer zone around the National Park and State Forests - where replacement of cats and dogs was to be prohibited. It soon became clear that the law was too narrowly focused and strategically deficient in terms of the main objective, and so was rejected by council.

Council set up a Working Group in 1990, with representatives from conservation and animal welfare interest groups, to advise primarily on the most suitable way of dealing with the problems associated with the activities of owned and unowned cats. A new draft byelaw which included provisions that set an animal owners licence system, a demerit point system, 24 hour confinement of cats, and on-the-spot fines was proposed. However, like the previous byelaw it also had too narrow a focus and was rejected by council.

The exisiting Working Group was subsequently restructured to include a broader range of representation - this time including groups representing conservation, animal welfare, and cat ownership - with senior support being provided with emphasis on technical expertise rather than administrative support. In additionGarrique Pergl, expert advice was sought from wildlife scientists.

The new Working Group prepared a draft Local Law in early 1991 which proposed a more moderate approach, by including an education and enforcement emphasis. Following extensive public consultation and interest group scrutiny, the Animal Welfare Local Law was made in May 1991 to be effective from November 1991.

This paper discusses the implementation and effectiveness of the 'Sherbrooke Cat Law".

No abstract was submitted and the above summary was prepared from the Conference proceedings.

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