Tasman to consider mandatory cat microchipping

Enjoy your toys and presents this summer and stay safely away from power lines

Many people may have bought or been given drones, model aircraft or kites for Christmas. They’re great fun when used safely but if you aren’t familiar with the rules of ying the potential for things to go wrong increases.

The Tasman District Council is considering a bylaw requiring cats to be microchipped to better protect public health and manage cat nuisance. The bylaw would have the additional benefits of protecting native wildlife and helping reunite lost or injured pets with their owners.

The need for better cat management has been under consideration for some time and was highlighted by several public submissions to the Regional Pest Management Plan and Tasman BioStrategy asking for more action in this area.

Recently, the Council’s Regulatory Committee asked staff to report back with a draft bylaw to tackle some of the issues created by an unmanaged cat population, including:

Nuisance and disease threats including cat trespass, transmission of disease through contact, and cat bites and scratches,

Economic and environmental threats to pastoral farming and marine environments including grazing animals, hectors dolphins and the wider marine food chain, as a result of bacteria from cat faeces, Biodiversity threats from cats preying on small animals, The need to identify feral cats for pest control.

The use of a bylaw that includes mandatory microchipping can have positive impacts for cat well-being and ensure better management of injured or stray cats. For example, microchipping is the best tool for finding the owners of pets quickly.

While the idea of managing cats through the use of a bylaw has been considered and rejected by some Councils, Wellington City Council has had a bylaw in place since 2018.

It is still early days to see results from their bylaw but it has prompted a focus on responsible cat ownership, highlighting the importance of microchipping and de-sexing animals.

The draft bylaw for Tasman will be modelled on the Wellington bylaw and, if adopted, may include a small number of conditions around keeping cats including: compulsory microchipping in cats over 12 weeks, cats being kept in suitable conditions to ensure their wellbeing, reducing any possible nuisance or health issues to others, not feeding cats in public places, an activity which is also likely to attract feral cats.

Before any bylaw can be adopted, it is subject to a formal consultation process where feedback is sought from the community on what is being proposed.

The consultation will begin after the Council decide whether to adopt a bylaw in 2021.

If a Cat Management Bylaw is supported by the public and adopted by Council, the intention is to allow 24 months before it comes into effect to allow cat owners time to meet the requirements around microchipping.

Flying drones, model aircraft and kites close to power lines can quickly ruin the fun and put people and property at risk. We want everyone to enjoy their unmanned aircraft this summer and we also want everyone to be safe, especially when around electricity.

Flying your drone or model aircraft too close to power lines or equipment can cause a ashover - an abnormal electrical discharge that can start a re. Flying too close to power lines or associated equipment can also a ect your craft’s signal. Model aircraft, kites or drones touching power lines or equipment can cause an explosion, a re or electrocution. Remember, judging distance from the ground or via an onboard camera is di cult and it does not provide an accurate measurement. Please y your drone, model aircraft or kite in places where there are no overhead lines and other electrical assets.

Know what to do to keep yourselves, your friends and your family safe. Teach the children around you to play safely with drones, model aircraft and kites.

Here’s what you need to do to help you stay safe: z Always y your aircraft in an area free of power lines and associated equipment z Keep your aircraft within your line of sight at all times z Fly drones and model craft in clear, calm weather when it is easier to see them and keep them under control z Only y your aircraft during daylight hours z If your aircraft becomes entangled in power lines or electrical equipment, or ies into a substation, phone us on 0800 508 100. We will safely retrieve it for you. The team who work on and around our lines are trained to enter these facilities safely and are on call to help.

Have fun and play safely this summer!