Background

The NSW Companion Animals Act 1998 makes provision for Council to declare council managed lands as Wildlife Protection Areas (WPAs) for the purpose of excluding domestic cats and dogs to protect wildlife.

The reduction in the presence of domestic animals has the benefit of reducing both the stress levels as well as the pressures of predation on wildlife that inhabits the declared land. The declaration of a WPA also provides options for enforcement of the exclusions under the Act.

It is initially proposed that Blue Mountains City Council trial 8 Wildlife Protection Areas.

The establishment and regulation of WPAs by Council in the Blue Mountains LGA is currently unfunded. The resources needed to fund WPAs may require reallocation of resources from existing Environmental Management programs such as bush regeneration, track maintenance, environmental education, and Bushcare support programs.