This may not be a worldwide first but there aren’t many places on the planet, even a relatively small area like the suburb of Muirhead in Darwin, Australia where domestic cats are only allowed outside if they are on a leash.
Daily Mail Australia reports that domestic cats are banned from being outside alone unless they are on a leash.
It is appropriately called the Cat Containment Policy and it started last Tuesday as I understand it.
The policy was introduced by alderman Robin Knox. He wants it to be extended to other suburbs within the council.
He appears to have deliberately selected new developments to be under the new law.
For him it is about education:
“Initially I’m asking for it to be applied (in Muirhead), in future we can educate further suburbs.”
Other Australia states have discussed similar laws concerning domestic cats. Australia leads the way on domestic cat confinement because they are the most concerned nation on the matter of the conservation of endangered native species considered to be prey to the domestic and feral cat. The reason why they are so concerned is because Australian business is destroying the habitat of wildlife for commercial developments. But they prefer to blame the cat for the loss of life of wildlife.
