Emma Hurst: 'Cat containment laws are simply cat killing laws ...Now don't get fooled. There are campaign organizations that will continue to push for cat containment laws. Now, these organizations and these groups that continue to push for these laws are the people who hate cats, let's be absolutely honest about it. If they were genuinely about reducing the number of cats that are in society, then they would be supporting the solutions where there's evidence that they work. ...Instead, they're pushing for cat killing through cat containment laws, where there's NO evidence that that's even going to work to protect wildlife.... Now, the Wildlife card is continuing to be used, and we know from the evidence that we heard in this inquiry, we heard from major organizations, even WIRES, saying that actually, cats are not the biggest threat to wildlife. The biggest threats that we have to wildlife is deforestation, climate change, overdevelopment… and we know that the government needs to really take action in those spaces if they genuinely want to protect our wildlife.' at Sydney Rally for Community Cats, whole speech audio and transcript: https://savecommunitycats.org/sydney-rally-23-aug-2025/#emma-hurst-animal-justice-party Emma Hurst: https://www.instagram.com/p/DNrRy_8vz20/?hl=en&img_index=4
Management of cat populations in New South Wales, Parliament Legislative Council NSW, 18th August 2025: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/lcdocs/inquiries/3011/Animal%20Welfare%20Committee%20-%20Report%20no.%202%20-%20Management%20of%20cat%20populations%20in%20New%20South%20Wales.pdf NSW Inquiry rejects cat curfews.
Knox Draft Domestic Animal Management Plan 2026-2029 is released on 8th September 7pm, at a mid-month meeting preventing resident questions. Watch: https://webcast.knox.vic.gov.au/archive/video25-0908.php Press Agenda: 4.4
Read Draft DAMP in Agenda: https://www.knox.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-09/2025-09-08-AgendaMidMonthMeeting.pdf pages 156-252
Knox has hidden group submissions from Knox AdvoCats and Australian Pet Welfare Foundation from the Community Engagement Summary in Knox Agenda 8.9.25, so the facts about curfews failure are also hidden.
Knox states just 382 responses to DAMP survey and claims 'overall sentiment has been one of general support for the policy' of 24-hr cat curfew. Four years ago Knox claimed that night-supporters were 24-hr supporters.
Registrations of both cats and dogs are down, so Knox proposes door-knocks to issue fines. Remember that Animal Management Officers cannot enter your house, they can only enter your yard.
Knox crows about hiding the identity of cat-trapping neighbours, and removing cat owners ability to defend in court.
Knox Dogs Off-leash Section 26 Order 'allows dogs to be run off leash in the majority of reserves, including all sporting fields, throughout the municipality, rather than limiting off leash areas to selected reserves' 'Surrounding councils, including Whitehorse, Maroondah, Dandenong and Yarra Ranges, generally restrict dogs off leash to a select number of suitable reserves'. Knox plans to 'Engage a qualified animal trainer to run free sessions in Council reserves.'
To 'Promote the Victorian Government Cat Management Strategy' of mandated containment.
To 'Partner with Councils Biodiversity team to run targeted education campaigns' on homeless cats.
Do residents care about curfews rising the cost-of-living, rising never-ending council expense, rising the deaths of both wildlife and cats with curfews?
Knox DAMP Consultation Final Phase 2 is 15th September - 15th October, 2025.
Please speak up now.
Animal Aid Knox pound managers Mark Menze, Tracy Menze, Shelby Thorn and Adele Scannell were reported by workers as ordering unnecessary euthanasias and breaching codes-of-conduct. Workers state being told: 'We are a business, not a rescue', for 'clean out' killing. Animal Aid refusing to allow rescue groups to save both dogs and cats lives. Workers implored rescues to help the cats condemned to death 'just because they were timid', and shy. Volunteers managed to save many, and workers have left taking animals with them. One worker who had notified managers she was adopting a cat, on arriving to collect, found the manager and 'Welfare vet' had just euthanised her. Knox Council was sent the report - but has publicly refused to investigate the ongoing management issues, also reported by the Herald Sun and Star Mail. Two of these managers were cited as 'Animal Welfare experts' for 24-hr cat curfew in Knox News Sept 2021 and March 2022, despite the Menze's having no animal welfare qualifications. Knox states, 'Animal Aid have also requested Yarra Ranges Council to undertake an independent audit of their cattery operations, as they are the responsible regulator. As the issuer of Animal Aids Domestic Animal Business licences, it is appropriate that Yarra Ranges Council undertake this review. It should be noted however that an audit and renewal of the Domestic Animal Business licence occurred recently in April, with no issues raised at that time.' Knox Minutes 28 July 2025, p13.
Star Mail reports that Yarra Ranges has just renewed Animal Aid's contract for a further three years for base cost of $3,126,678 - a rise of $350,000 more per year. Plus additional fees for impoundments over threshold of cat/kitten $266, dog/puppy $509.
Herald Sun on cats: Starved, neglected, euthanised: Shock claims at Vic animal refuge 6.7.2025 https://www.change.org/p/knox-advocats/u/33716235 Star Mail on dogs: https://ferntreegully.mailcommunity.com.au/news/2025-07-15/conflicting-views-in-regards-to-local-animal-welfare-organisation/ 15.7.2025 Star Mail on Yarra Ranges renewing contract 28 August 2025: https://upperyarra.mailcommunity.com.au/news/2025-08-28/yarra-ranges-council-endorses-two-motions-for-animal-pound-service/ Yarra Ranges Animal Aid contract costs: https://yarraranges.moderngov.com.au/documents/g1945/Public%20reports%20pack%2026th-Aug-2025%2019.00%20Council%20Meeting.pdf?T=10 pages 57-67
Photo: a Knox community cat