Have your say on city’s bylaw rules for keeping animals

Palmerston North City Council requires everyone who keeps cats to get them desexed by 6 months old, unless kept for breeding purposes.

The council proposes reducing the desexing age limit from 6 months to 4 months. Cats may reach puberty any time after 4 months of age, policy analyst Stacey Solomon says.

Desexing by 4 months reduces the likelihood of cats developing nuisance behaviours like spraying, straying or vocalising. It would also support cat population management by preventing unwanted cat breeding, she says.

The council is reviewing its 2018 Animals and Bees Bylaw.

The bylaw sets out the responsibilities of keeping animals and bees and making sure they don’t damage property, pose a risk to health and safety, or cause a nuisance — such as loud noises or bad smells.

The council also proposes adding a clause to the bylaw outlining the requirements for housing pigs. This clause will align the bylaw with the Code of Welfare for keeping pigs, Solomon says.

To see the other proposed changes visit pncc.govt.nz/animals.

The council is also reviewing its dog control policy, which outlines the obligations and responsibilities of having a dog. It also specifies where you can and can’t walk your dog, where dogs must be on a leash, and where they can be leash free.

The council proposes adding conditions for dogs classified as menacing or dangerous.

The council is also proposing to make the language used in the policy clearer and easier to understand, Solomon says.

There are more than 9000 dogs in Palmerston North. Go to pncc.govt. nz/dogpolicy to see the proposed changes.

Submissions can be made online. Hard copies of submission forms are available from libraries and the customer service centre. Submissions close at 4pm on Monday, February 12.

The council is also holding two drop-in sessions for people to talk about the proposed changes.

The first is on Tuesday, January 23, 5.30pm to 7pm at the Conference and Function Centre. The second session is also Smooch Your Pooch Day on Saturday, February 10, 10am to midday at Linklater Reserve.