What will the Domestic Animal Management Plan focus on?

Click on the purple dots below to read more about what the DAMP will focus on.

What is the Domestic Animal Management Plan?

The Domestic Animals Act 1994 (the Act) requires all Victorian councils to prepare a Domestic Animal Management Plan every 4 years.

The Domestic Animal Management Plan (DAMP) guides a council’s management of dogs and cats. Informed by community feedback gathered in our first round of engagement, the draft Domestic Animal Management Plan 2026-29 addresses the following key issues:

  • Promoting responsible ownership of dogs and cats.
  • Encouraging compliance with laws and regulations.
  • Educating the public on pet care, registration, and control.
  • Aligning our DAMP with the Domestic Animals Act 1994.
  • Integration of local laws and municipal orders.
  • Enforcement of mandatory codes of practice for domestic animal businesses.
  • Increasing pet registration rates.
  • Improving registration systems and public awareness.
  • Using microchip data to identify unregistered pets.
  • Addressing issues like barking dogs, off-leash dogs, and trespassing cats.
  • Implementing cat curfews and containment rules.
  • Enhancing infrastructure such as signage and waste bins.
  • Reducing dog attacks through education, patrols, and enforcement.
  • Supporting victims and managing aggressive dogs.
  • Advocating for a statewide dog attack database.
  • Monitoring and managing declared dogs.
  • Addressing challenges in housing and compliance.
  • Advocating legislative improvements.
  • Promoting desexing and responsible pet acquisition.
  • Managing semi-owned and unowned cat colonies.
  • Enhancing rehoming efforts and reducing impoundment.
  • Ensuring compliance with registration and codes of practice.
  • Conducting audits and responding to complaints.
  • Promoting registered businesses.
  • Supporting diverse communities and pet owners experiencing homelessness.
  • Providing multilingual resources and inclusive communication.
  • Recognizing the presence of pets in family and domestic violence
  • Preparing for emergencies involving pets.
  • Providing resources and communication during crises.
  • Collaborating with other councils and agencies.
  • Commitment to annual evaluation and updates.
  • Transparent reporting to the community and government.
  • Continuous improvement based on performance and feedback.

Domestic Animal Management Plan 2026-29

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