The Mount Gambier Residents and Ratepayers Association will host a community meeting on Saturday to discuss dog and cat management in the Blue Lake city.
The association last week issued a media release stating that “recent events in the management of lost dogs (and other animals) by the Mount Gambier City Council has prompted the association to call a community meeting to discuss this issue and develop a submission to council outlining community expectations in regards to management of lost animals in our community”.
“The association has engaged an independent moderator from Limestone Coast Solutions to guide the discussion,” the release said.
“An invitation was extended to council to participate in this discussion which they have declined.
“This meeting is timely as it will not only deal with the current clear lack of concise arrangements the council is ‘exploring’ in the management of animals in the city, but will also allow a submission to be developed based on community concerns and expectations which can be submitted to council as it formulates its Dog and Cat Management Plan for the coming years.”
The association said all community members were invited to join the discussion and have their views heard and conveyed to council.
Mount Gambier City Council chief executive Sarah Philpott welcomed the community input.
“Council is pleased that interested community members are keen to discuss and provide feedback to support the development of Council’s draft Dog and Cat Management Plan 2024-2028,” she said.
“Animal management is of great interest to our community and council wishes to ensure the process includes as many interested groups as possible, including vets, animal welfare organisations and the wider community.
“We have written to a number of these groups and agencies inviting their feedback on the draft plan, in addition to encouraging feedback from the community.
“We thank organisers of the public meeting for the invitation to attend. Elected Members have also been invited.”
Ms Philpott said, in addition to council’s other engagement strategies for the draft plan, the request prompted council to reassess the associated consultation process and decide to host two public forums.
The first will be held at the Mount Gambier Library today (Tuesday) at 10.30am and a second on September 6 at 5.15pm.
“Council staff will be available at the two council public forums, and I encourage interested community members to attend the sessions,” Ms Philpott said.
“We have also extended the draft consultation period to Monday, September 11 to give these sessions, along with the public meeting, enough time to gather thoughts and provide feedback via the Have Your Say Mount Gambier platform.
“Council looks forward to hearing about the outcomes from the community public meeting, Council’s forums, and any other feedback provided throughout the consultation process.”
Interested members of the community requiring further information or to RSVP attendance can contact the association by email at mgrrassoc@gmail.com, with the meeting to be held at the Mount Gambier Senior Citizens Hall at 42 James Street on Saturday (September 2) at 10.30am.
