A MOTION with a difference was discussed at Wednesday night’s Ballarat City Council meeting.
The need for people to clean up after their dogs was raised by councillor Ben Taylor as part of the Domestic Animal Management Plan 2012-16 adoption.
“We need to make sure people are picking up their dog poo,” Cr Taylor said. The council’s growth and development director Eric Braslis agreed.
“Responsible pet owners needed to keep their pets on a leash in designated areas and pick up after them as well,” Mr Braslis said.
Key features of the animal plan include pet registration, identification, dog attacks, restricted dog breeds, nuisance or problem barking, dogs wandering at large, the cat curfew, dangerous and menacing dogs, and overpopulation and euthanasia.
The council is required every four years to prepare and implement a Domestic Animal Management Plan.
The plan was placed on public exhibition for four weeks, but received only two submissions about dogs off leads and dogs in public places, neither of which resulted in it being altered.
In a report to the council, Mr Braslis said the plan would balance the demands of animal owners, the broader community and the animals which share people’s lives.
