By Laura Wakely
BRIMBANK has a feral cat problem with more than 2000 caught by council in the past financial year.
The council has come under fire for the out-of-control feral cat populations, which have been seen in and around restaurants.
A Deer Park resident told Star she had seen up to 20 feral cats hanging around restaurants on Ballarat Rd in Deer Park because restaurant owners were feeding them.
“I saw cats going into the kitchen,” the resident told Star.
“I called the council and they said well did you get sick from the food?
“He said if you’re not sick…that’s it for us.”
Star also witnessed seven feral cats wandering around restaurants on Main Rd East in St Albans.
Western Suburbs Animal Rescue Service member Nathan Miles said Brimbank was being overrun by feral cats.
Mr Miles said he had removed almost 100 cats from a Deer Park restaurant over a three year period but couldn’t get rid of them because they were regularly being fed.
“These people won’t listen,” Mr Miles said.
“We’ve reported it to the council, but the council, as usual, has done nothing.
“When it comes to animal management it’s a debacle.”
Mr Miles said the issue was one of animal welfare and public health and safety that highlighted the “incompetence” of the council’s animal management.
“The Administrators need to review the animal management team from the ground up,” he said.
“We’re not going to relent, they will be found accountable.”
Brimbank City Council General Manager of City Development Stephen Sully said he was aware of the allegations surrounding the restaurants, but investigations had not been able to prove the cats were inside the restaurants.
He said the council had undertaken “several” cat trapping programs in Deer Park and St Albans but that there were increases in cat numbers during breeding seasons in the year.
Mr Sully said the council had picked up 2042 cats in the past financial year.
“Most of the cats collected were feral cats, not registered, not microchipped and without any form of identification,” Mr Sully said.
He said the council is continuing to promote responsible pet ownership and encourage residents to report sightings of cats gathering inside or outside places that serve food to the public.
