A new initiative in Australia may limit the number of pets that a household can have under a plan to protect the environment.
Details about the plan, which aims to reduce the population of feral cats, will be unveiled by the country’s Environment Minister on Wednesday.
The abatement plan, which was agreed upon by leaders of the country’s territorial and state governments, is expected to be finalized by the end of the year.
Although it’s focused on the reduction of the population of feral cats, Ms. Plibersek noted that it would encourage people to properly manage their pets to prevent them from killing wildlife.
Through the new legislation, local governments will be able to ban cats within their communities and restrict pet numbers.
According to Ms. Plibersek, the number of cats that have killed two billion animals in the country has been one of the factors that has led to two recent extinctions.
According to experts, the damage caused by cats is far worse than people realize.
The number of pet cats in Australia is estimated to be around 5.3 million.
They’re known to kill more than 500 million animals each year.
The government noted that these animals could have a far greater impact on the country’s wildlife because they can increase the population of feral cats.
The draft plan includes various new regulations, such as curfews for cats, requirements for registration, and desexing.
It also proposes establishing cat-free zones in areas where native wildlife can be found.
In various parts of the country, local governments can impose restrictions on pet ownership.
In Victoria, for instance, residents are required to keep their cats inside during certain hours.
In South Australia, it’s allowed to have up to two cats per property.
In Tasmania, it’s not allowed to keep more than four cats on a person’s property for more than four months without a permit.
In New South Wales, cats are still allowed to roam free, but certain areas of the state are implementing 24-hour cat curfews.
This means that owners can’t let their felines run outside their property.
