Domestic Animal Management Plan (DAMP) open for comment

The City of Ballarat’s Domestic Animal Management Plan (DAMP) has recently been released for public comment on the council’s MySay webpage.

The document plays a critical role in the management planning for the city’s 13,814 registered dogs and 5,711 registered cats as well as several other key animal welfare services the Ballarat Animal Shelter provides. 

City of Ballarat Director Development and Growth, Natalie Robertson explained that under the Domestic Animals Act (1994) Council is required to prepare and implement a Domestic Animal Management Plan (DAMP) every four years.

“Utilising relevant community responses and feedback from the “Ballarat: Our Future” engagement forum held in February this year, we have been able to create a plan for the next four years that outlines Council’s plans for animal management,” Ms Robertson said.

Ballarat’s rapid growth and increased pet ownership is contributing to an increasing need to share the expertise held by the Ballarat Animal Shelter staff. The control of dogs in public spaces is a primary reason for the DAMP acknowledging the need for more school and community educational programs. 

“We are very lucky to have some fantastic off and on lead areas to exercise our dogs. Fenced dog areas are one great option, but importantly dog owners need to have that control over their dog and ability to recall. Hence why an important part of this year’s plan is to increase awareness and education in responsible ownership so that everyone can enjoy the space,” Ms Robertson said.

“As a population of just over 110,000 in Ballarat with over 20,000 registered domestic pets we need our community input to such influential documents to assist the best outcomes. I would encourage pet owners and non-pet owners to have a read through the document and submit their thoughts.”

The City of Ballarat is also advocating to Victorian and Australian Governments for funding to deliver a $15 million, purpose-built Regional Animal Shelter, which would serve the needs of Ballarat and the municipalities of Hepburn, Moorabool, Golden Plains, Pyrenees, Ararat and Central Goldfields.

Funding to construct a new regional animal facility, will represent the single biggest improvement to animal welfare services in this region in a century.

A new, fully compliant regional animal facility will enhance the quality of life and standard of care delivered to the hundreds of stray, lost, abandoned or abused animals from around the region that pass through the City of Ballarat’s animal shelter each year.

The City of Ballarat Domestic Animal Management Plan can be found on the City’s MySay webpage and submissions are open to the public until 17 September, 2021.