Inundated … Caroline Springs resident Nathan Miles is taking care of four stray kittens he found wandering Melton’s streets. 37263 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By Belinda Nolan
NATHAN Miles is sick and tired of picking stray cats off Melton street corners.
The Caroline Springs resident’s home is constantly inundated with abandoned and homeless animals.
It could almost lay claim to being dubbed Melton’s unofficial pound.
Mr Miles is a member of the Caroline Springs Animal Welfare Association, a not-for-profit group which aims to advocate for animal rights.
He says stray cats are running rife across the municipality and has urged the council to take action before the problem worsens.
“It’s an absolute epidemic across the whole of Melton,” Mr Miles told Star.
“There’s large numbers of cats roaming the streets, running wild with no one to care for them.
“Most of them are sick, injured, or diseased.
“I’ve taken on over 30 cats myself.
“Something must be done about this.”
Mr Miles is calling on the council to introduce mandatory de-sexing to help stave off the problem.
The municipality has one of the highest rates of animal euthanasia in the state, with 97 per cent of cats impounded put to sleep.
“The problem is just getting worse,” Mr Miles said.
“The only realistic solution is for the council to make it mandatory for cat owners to de-sex their pets because if they don’t they will keep reproducing.
“We can’t keep up with it as it is.”
The council’s administration manager Peter Bean said while the council encouraged owners to de-sex and microchip their pets, it would not legally require residents to do so.
Mr Bean said 90 per cent of stray cats were feral.
He confirmed around 100 cats had been admitted to the pound since August but denied the problem was escalating.
“There has not been a noticeable increase in the number of cats being brought into the pound in the last three months compared with previous months,” Mr Bean said.
The council will launch a new trial of a feral cat trapping program in the coming weeks.
For information on stray pets call the council on 9747 7200 or the Lost Dogs Home on 9329 2755.
