ANIMALS POLICY
Greens on Council will work to ensure that policies and practices prevent pain and distress to animals.
Principles
| 1 | Animals are sentient beings capable of feeling and suffering. The welfare of animals must be respected with regard to both the survival of species and the protection of individual animals. | |
| 2 | Animal welfare should be considered in terms of the ‘five freedoms’: freedom from hunger and thirst; freedom from discomfort; freedom from pain, injury and disease; freedom to behave normally; and freedom from fear and distress. | |
| 3 | Council shares responsibility to protect and limit harm caused to native animals, and wherever possible ensure that native and other animals within the City of Melbourne are treated in a responsible and humane manner. | |
| 4 | Council has a responsibility to address gaps in regulatory frameworks and implement new local laws and policies to advance animal welfare. | |
Aims | ||
| 1 | Ensure that Council’s plans for all green spaces, including parks, gardens, nature strips and vertical greening, respect and enrich the fodder, habitat and movement corridors of wildlife. | |
| 2 | Increase re-homing rates of stray cats and dogs and ensure that veterinary treatment is available to all impounded animals. | |
| 3 | Ensure that decisions to manage stray animals either in-house or by external providers are made in the best interests of animals. | |
| 4 | Work with rescue groups to re-home animals that are sick and not covered by Council vet treatment policies, or that have behavioural issues. | |
| 5 | Following Council’s cessation of street trading permits for horse-drawn vehicle operations, and the banning of horse-drawn vehicles from the Hoddle grid, seek from the State Government the prohibition of horse-drawn vehicles within the City of Melbourne. | |
| 6 | Reduce the use of animals for entertainment and profit where possible. | |
| 7 | Include animal welfare controls in all Council services, functions and permit processes that relate to animals. | |
| 8 | Ensure ongoing comprehensive community consultation on Council’s Domestic Animals Management Plan. | |
| 9 | Lobby the State Government for changes to the Domestic Animals Act 1994 to disallow the operation of commercial businesses which cannot uphold the ‘five freedoms’. | |
| 10 | Use Council’s food policy and communication campaigns to raise community awareness about animal welfare issues, including encouraging participation in campaigns that aim to reduce production and consumption of meat. | |
| 11 | Support humane methods of population control for introduced animals (eg foxes, cats, rabbits, rats, mice, fish, birds). | |