Council firm on pet chips
CAIRNS will push ahead with a controversial plan to microchip cats and dogs despite being snubbed in the state pilot program favouring Townsville.
The Townsville, Gold Coast, Moreton Bay and Logan councils will each receive nearly $100,000 for the trial.
Cairns Mayor Val Schier yesterday said the council would look at what money was available to proceed with its animal management plans.
"We are obviously disappointed our application was not approved," she said. "However this will not prevent us moving forward animal management initiatives.
"Given this has not been successful we will now look at what we can do within our own budget."
In June, Cr Schier said she had been keen on the idea of pushing through the mandatory microchipping of cats and dogs and that it was hoped her council would be the first in the state to introduce it. The council has since been waiting for a State Government response to its submission which included a voucher system for microchipping and desexing cats and dogs.
Local Government Minister Warren Pitt defended the decision to choose Townsville instead of Cairns. He said in the selection process the department considered the
effectiveness of trials which councils might be in a position to roll out and the capacity for them to be applied more widely across Queensland.
"The department considered the Townsville Regional Council particularly suitable for being included in the trial as it had already conducted a small-scale trial," Mr Pitt said.
"This trial had involved a closed community – Magnetic Island – and the microchipping of cats as a means of controlling the cat population there.
"The department considered this offered potential for expansion into a full-scale trial, and importantly could be applied more broadly across other councils in Queensland."
Cr Schier acknowledged the Magnetic Island trial had probably given Townsville the edge. She said the council would continue to work with Animal Welfare which already has initiatives under way.
One initiative includes a drive by Animal Welfare Cairns to assist pensioners and low-income earners in desexing and microchipping their pets this month.
Half-price vouchers are available at the association’s Draper St store and can be redeemed at any veterinary clinic.
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Chips with that? Cairns Regional Council is pressing ahead with its microchip plan for cats and dogs.
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