The West Coast Council has been forced to pause a cat trapping program in Zeehan after traps, including some containing cats, were tampered with and stolen.
The program was launched following the designation of cat management area, bordered by Dodds Street, Main Street and Wilson Street, in 2022.
It was set up after authorities identified the area as a breeding ground for feral and unowned stray cats that create a nuisance and may pose a health risk to residents.
Under the program, traps are checked regularly for domestic or microchipped cats so they can be returned to their owners as soon as possible, while feral cats caught are “humanely destroyed”.
West Coast Council General Manager Ciara Spencer told Tuesday’s council meeting the traps are not advertised before being set out due to past incidents of theft.
“We unfortunately had to cease the program because traps continued to go missing,” she said.
“It’s really quite concerning that feral cats are a big problem in Zeehan at the moment … some of the other regions have been able to control it better.”
Spencer said the council is looking at additional security measures and plans to start the program up again in the next two weeks.
“We really just want to make sure that we can get that work done without interference,” she said.
A cat management area was established in Queenstown a year prior in 2021 for the area bordered by Sticht, Orr, Cutten and Bowes Streets.
Both areas will apply until April 30 next year.
