Cat Trapping to Begin in Dodges Ferry
The Dodges Ferry Community Cat Management Project is entering its next phase, with targeted trapping planned from 14th September to 2nd October.
This project is a partnership between Ten Lives Cat Centre, Sorell Council, Southern Beaches Landcare Coastcare, Landcare Tasmania and local residents. Together, we are working to better understand the local roaming cat population, promote responsible cat ownership and support positive, long term outcomes for both cats and wildlife.
Earlier this year, a community consultation survey received 271 responses, providing valuable insight into cat ownership, roaming behaviour, concerns about wildlife impacts, uncontrolled breeding and the welfare of stray and unowned cats. This information has helped identify areas where support and management efforts may be most beneficial.
The upcoming trapping program will focus on locations where roaming cats have been identified through community feedback and confirmed sightings. Humane cage traps will be used to safely contain cats and will be checked regularly by trained volunteers to ensure the welfare of any cats captured.
Cats trapped through the program will be surrendered into the care of Ten Lives. Each cat will be scanned for a microchip and checked for ownership details. Where possible, owned cats will be reunited with their families.
Cat owners in the Dodges Ferry area are encouraged to keep their cats safely contained indoors or within secure outdoor enclosures during the trapping period and to ensure their microchip details are up to date. Keeping cats contained not only reduces the chance of them being accidentally trapped but also helps protect them from common risks such as traffic, fights, disease and becoming lost.
Containment is particularly important following the detection of H5N1 bird flu in Tasmania. Reducing contact between cats and wild birds can help minimise the risk of exposure.
Sorell Council has supported this stage of the project with a $1,000 grant to purchase additional humane traps, helping increase the capacity of the trapping program across the Dodges Ferry area.
This project is about caring for both cats and wildlife. By improving our understanding of the local cat population, we can develop informed and compassionate approaches that support cat welfare while also helping to reduce impacts on local wildlife caused by roaming cats.
Ten Lives is grateful to the Dodges Ferry community for its ongoing support and involvement in the project, and thanks the volunteers, residents and partner organisations helping make this next stage possible.
For more information, contact Ten Lives Cat Centre on (03) 6278 2111.