All Councils across Victoria are required to develop a Domestic Animal Management Plan every four years under Section 68A of the Domestic Animals Act 1994.

We are currently preparing the plan to outline how we will manage dogs and cats over the next four years, from 2021 to 2025.

The aim of the Domestic Animal Management Plan is to promote responsible pet ownership and the welfare of cats and dogs, while protecting Benalla Rural City’s community and environment from nuisance cats and dogs.

The Domestic Animal Management Plan is produced as a requirement of the Domestic Animals Act 1994. The purpose of the Act is to “promote animal welfare, the responsible ownership of dogs and cats and the protection of the environment”.

As the Act only addresses dogs and cats, the plan cannot incorporate any other type of domestic companion animal.

For more information about the Domestic Animals Act 1994 go to legislation.vic.gov.au

Under the Domestic Animals Act 1994, there are a number of topic areas Council must cover, including:

• summary of roles and responsibilities
• training of authorised officers
• outline programs, services and strategies of Council to:
  • promote responsible ownership of dogs and cats
  • ensure compliance with the Act
  • minimise the risk of dog attacks
  • address over population and euthanasia rates for dogs and cats
  • encourage registration and identification of dogs and cat
  • minimise potential for dogs and cats to create a nuisance
  • identify dangerous, menacing, and restricted breed dogs
• review existing and new orders and local laws
• review other matters relating to dogs and cats.

The draft Domestic Animal Management Plan 2021–2025 was open for public consultation from Thursday 4 November to 5pm Thursday 2 December 2021.

Submissions have now closed.