18Cats in prohibited areas

18 Cats in prohibited areas

(1)  In this section –

cat management action means any one or more of the following actions:

(a) humanely destroying a cat;

(b) trapping a cat;

(c) seizing a cat;

(d) detaining a cat;

(e) returning a cat once the cat has been desexed;

person responsible for a prohibited area means –

(a) the owner or legal occupier of the area; or

(b) if the owner is not available, a person acting with the authority of the owner in respect of the area; or

(c) if there is no owner and no person acting with the owner's authority, the manager of the area; or

(d) any other prescribed person or prescribed class of persons.

(2)  Except in prescribed circumstances, an authorised person, or a person acting on behalf of such a person, may take cat management action in relation to a cat found in a prohibited area.

(3)  If an authorised person, or a person acting on behalf of such a person, intends to take cat management action in relation to a cat in a prohibited area that is private land, that person is to notify the person responsible for the prohibited area.

(4)  Except in prescribed circumstances, a person responsible for a prohibited area, or a person acting on behalf of such a person, may take cat management action in relation to any cat found in the prohibited area.

(5)  [Section 18 Subsection (5) substituted by No. 25 of 2020, s. 15, Applied:01 Mar 2021] A person who traps, seizes or detains a cat under this section may –

(a) if the owner of the cat is known to the person, arrange for the return of the cat to the owner; or

(b) whether or not the owner of the cat is known to the person, arrange for the cat to be taken to a cat management facility; or