Three years ago I moved from Stonnington, which uses Save-A-Dog Scheme (SADS) with a No Kill philosophy, to run its pound.  Unlike Knox Council’s Animal Aid, and the RSPCA, which Knox pays as unqualified ‘experts’ to promote caging of cats.  Stonnington has rejected cat curfews twice.  Knox’s 24-hr-cat-curfew Order expects a higher death toll.  Years ago Knox Council stopped using the RSPCA, to engage Animal Aid to lower the killing.  Reasons for Animal Aid’s 2020 cat euthanasia are 66% behaviour, only 31% medical.  Knox’s pound does not have a No Kill commitment.  If Knox cared about cat welfare, why vote for an Order forcing abandonment, less adoptions and more killing? 

Recently I contacted one of the biodiversity Councillors.  She says she has two cats at home and her ‘research’ shows that ‘no other domestic animal roams’.  What ‘research’ cites personal opinion to validate vote to harm Knox residents?  Akin to Knox Council’s June 2021 report that ‘estimated’ ‘cat trap requests’ are ‘a good indicator’ to ‘recommend’ ’24-hr cat curfew’ - not a statistic, not scientific evidence, not analysis, and not reliable.  I reminded her that she also voted to kill native birds, to destroy habitat and the ‘wildlife corridor’ of Ferny Creek Trail.  This biodiversity Councillor says that 1 Mount View Rd, is her ‘legacy’.  https://www.gofundme.com/f/SaveDandenongFoothills

Knox Councillors say they are ‘proud’ ‘community leaders’ voting for the ‘future’, not for us who pay their salaries.  Council hides objections, hides dissent and Councillors vote for their personal interests, their profit as landlords, and political ambition.  The pandemic brought a bunch of self-centred, unresponsive, unrepresentative, Councillors.

We need many signatures to Parliament.  Please share the links to all your Victorian email and phone contacts, and put up posters in your area.  Help cats get day passes for health, help save lives.

Legislative Council: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/council/petitions/electronic-petitions/view-e-petitions/details/12/446

Legislative Assembly: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/assembly/petitions/e-petitions/view-sign-e-petitions/details/55/108

Downloadable posters, to print A4 & A5 revised: https://rmit.academia.edu/AshlleyMorganShae  QR codes also here: https://www.facebook.com/savedandenong.foothills 

Please keep all your correspondence to-and-from Knox on the cat curfew.  Almost all were not listened to, and many did not receive replies, and not answering questions.

Star News published advertorial, not reportage in Pet plan released.  3288 online responses to the DAMP followed call-outs from change petitions.  Without any community consultation on 24-hrs, Knox Council claims the dissenting July response is ‘feedback’, of ‘support for a curfew’ - when many support a night curfew, but not a lifetime lockdown.  By hiding dissenting views - but misusing these figures, does ‘feedback’ replace consultation?  Then telling this untruth to the Victorian Ombudsman, and printing in Star News.  

For Interstate and Overseas supporters against Australian cruelty to cats - thank you!  Please also check out the Facebook links below.  Comments of experience can be posted below this Update.

Knox Councillors’ Facebooks - remember their names, their ‘proud’ ‘legacy’ of power used to profit during the pandemic and war.

Councillors who voted for 24-hrs

Nicole Seymour ‘Community Matters Most’  https://www.facebook.com/CrNicoleSeymour residential landlord, pushed for 24-hr cat lifetime lockdown since, at least, January 2019

Jude Dwight ‘Because I care’  https://www.facebook.com/JudeDwightChandler 

Marcia Timmers-Leitch  https://www.facebook.com/MarciaTimmersLeitch  residential landlord

Susan Laukens https://www.facebook.com/SusanLaukensforKnox 

Yvonne Allred  https://www.facebook.com/YvonneAllredBaird 

Meagan Baker  https://www.facebook.com/CrMeaganBaker

Councillors voting against 24-hrs

Darren Pearce  https://www.facebook.com/CrDarrenPearce  (Darren Pearce changed his vote to against, but believes in 24-hrs for future cats)

Lisa Cooper  https://www.facebook.com/MayorLisaCooper (did not attend February’s DAMP cat vote)

Sorina Grasso  https://www.facebook.com/sorina.grasso

ANZAC Day Mon 25th, means next Council Meeting is Tuesday 26th of April.  If you want to submit a public question for record you can here:  https://www.knox.vic.gov.au/our-council/councillors-and-meetings/council-meetings/public-question-time   Have a great long weekend - Thank you!

All residents are impacted by this Order - remember that Knox Council says they will charge all rate-payers more for enforcement of 24-hrs.