Animal Management Local Law and Subordinate Local Law Amendments 2023

Gladstone Regional Council is proposing to amend its Local Law and Subordinate Local Law about Animal Management in the Gladstone Region.

Council resolved at its General Meeting held on 21 March 2023 to propose to make:

Animal Management (Amendment) Local Law (No. 1) 2023
Animal Management (Amendment) Subordinate Local Law (No. 1) 2023

which amend Local Law No. 2 (Animal Management) 2011 and Subordinate Local Law No. 2 (Animal Management) 2011.

The purpose and general effect of the amendments are:

Updating property descriptions, legislative and other related references that have changed since the implementation of the Local Law and Subordinate Local Law
Alignment of dog designations to support the State Government's position on no dogs in protected areas, such as National Parks and Conservation Parks where dogs are specifically prohibited, and areas identified as Matters of State Environmental Significance which has resulted in recommended changes prohibiting dogs on:
1. The foreshore adjacent to Wild Cattle Island National Park Tannum Sands
2. Springs Beach/Red Rock Beach Agnes Water through to Deepwater National Park; and
3. The northern tip of the Agnes Water Main Beach adjacent to Joseph Banks Conservation Park.
Other Dog Related Issues:
1. Set a minimum enclosure size for dangerous and menacing dogs via subordinate local law as the State Government recently removed this from the Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Regulation 2019, to allow Local Governments and/or Authorised Officers to set the minimum size requirement
2. An extension to the dog off-leash area for the Agnes Water main beach to commence from the Atlantis Boulevard Beach Access approximately 500m south of the existing Surf Club beach access
3. Protection for the Rainbow Bee-Eater Bird Nesting Area, 1770 SES Grounds – Proposal is to make the 1770 SES Grounds dog on-leash during bird nesting season and off-leash for the balance of the year (current designation is off-leash all year round)
4. Adjustment to the definition of ‘Multi Residential Areas’ to cater for developments that are multi-residential in nature but not ‘group titled’
5. Amendment to the ‘Additional Minimum Standards’ requirement to include microchipping for dogs (in addition to the requirement under the Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008) to allow a broader scope of enforcement action other than fines which currently is the only option available under the State legislation (ie. Other action available under a Local Law is the issue of Compliance Notices)
6. Greyhounds – remove the requirement for greyhounds in the Greyhound Adoption Program that have achieved ‘Green Collar Approval’ from being muzzled when out in public places.
Animals other than Dogs:
1. Racing Pigeons:
Increase the minimum allotment size for keeping racing pigeons to 1,000m2 and no more than 20 racing pigeons in a designated town area over 1,000m2.
Minor amendments to definitions to ensure that there is clarity between pigeons and ‘racing pigeons’ which are the birds that are let out to free fly and can cause issues roosting on adjacent property
Add a requirement to locate racing pigeon enclosures at the furthest most appropriate point from adjoining homes
Adopt the Code of Practice – Keeping and Racing Pigeons to assist Officers in ensuring enclosures are maintained to the Queensland Racing Pigeon Federation’s recommended standards.
1. Bees – exclude native stingless bees from the keeping and control of bees given that they do not present a risk to the wellbeing of residents and the amenity of residential living
2. Cattle grazing on Unfenced Roads (Minimum Standards for Enclosures) – exclude stock grazing unfenced roads from the requirement to be fully enclosed on the property
3. Remove from the Minimum Standards for an enclosure for ‘self-latching’ gates as it is impractical to require self-latching gates for keeping some animals, particularly those on primary producing land where gates need to be kept open when mustering/moving stock etc. This requirement to be added for only those animals that do require self-latching / self-closing gates (ie. keeping of dogs)
4. Amendment to the ‘Additional Minimum Standards’ to include microchipping for cats to provide a broader scope of enforcement action other than fines (ie. Refer to 3(e) - Compliance notices, etc.).

A copy of the public notice is available online.

No anti-competitive provisions have been identified in the proposed amending local law and subordinate local law.

Have your say!

Public consultation on the above proposal ran from Wednesday 22 March 2023 to Friday 12 May 2023 and was hosted on Council’s online engagement platform. The public consultation aimed to seek input from the community to determine if the community agrees or not with the proposed changes.

Please keep up to date with Conversations for the release of the amended subordinate local laws.

View Proposed Animal Management (Amendment) Local Law (No. 1) 2023
View Existing Local Law No. 2 (Animal Management) 2011
View Proposed Animal Management (Amendment) Subordinate Local Law (No. 1) 2023
View Existing Subordinate Local Law No. 2 (Animal Management) 2011