Hi all,

I just got the below email from one of the councillors. It appears they're already preparing to ignore our petition. Please join the facebook page "Knox AdvoCats" and email the council directly with your complaints:

HI Andy, and thanks for getting in touch.

Thank you also for the effort you have put in for your cause – I have no doubt it has taken a considerable amount of time and emotional energy too.

I apologise for not replying sooner but I was on a forced extended trip due to border restrictions between SA and Vic. I would like to have let you know earlier that, whilst online petitions are a fantastic tool for raising awareness and excellent campaigning tool for national or international issues they do not carry weight for me personally to change decisions of Council.

The reasons is that there is no way of qualifying the data. I can already hear your response – that the survey data we have based our decision on has not been sufficiently qualified either – but I wish to assure you that it is far more than votes that must decide critical issues for Knox’s future such as this. How does a global online petition accurately reflect the issues of Knox? As you have experienced yourself, it draws people in to an emotional argument and does not adequately consider how we address the growing evidence against freely roaming cats. It does not deal with liveability issues for ratepayers impacted by cats allowed to roam freely. It does not encourage people to be part of the solution to the increasing problems we face. This is not the most significant decision for Council at this time – it is one of many, and just as kids should be able to vote for their future I vote for the future also, not the present, and not the status quo.

It is this evidence that I draw on to make my decision.  I wish we could provide educational experiences such as Zoos Victoria’s domestic cat exhibition, or negotiate with our Men’s sheds to assist with confinement structures etc. But that is out of my jurisdiction, sadly.

I am sorry we don’t see this the same way Andy, but I feel it fair to be up front with you on this matter.

Again, thank you for showing your commitment to what you believe in. I admire that.

Cr.Jude Dwight |  Chandler Ward Councillor
+61 437 877 176 |