SHANE Rattenbury has announced the declaration of Throsby as a new cat containment area.

“Throsby will be a unique suburb nestling against Mulligans Flat and Goorooyarroo Nature Reserves, two of ACT’s most diverse nature reserves that contain a range of grassland, woodland and forest habitats that support many native plants and animals such as the eastern bettong, bush stone-curlew and one of the largest stands of yellow box – Blackely’s red gum woodland left in Australia,” Shane said.

“Over the last decade, the ACT Greens have worked to reduce the footprint of Throsby in order to protect the precious native habitat and endangered species living within the surrounding Nature Park.

“The Gungahlin Strategic Environmental Assessment approved by the Federal Government saw a significant reduction in the suburb footprint of Throsby in order to protect and conserve land within the Nature Park. The new suburb of Throsby has been designed in such a way to support the surrounding Nature Park, creating corridors of vegetation that connect to the reserve.

“It is therefore especially important that we declare the area as a cat containment suburb early so that residents are aware of the environmental considerations and enclosure requirements prior to moving in to the suburb.

“Cat owners in Throsby will need to ensure their cats are confined to the premises at all times. This can be easily achieved by keeping cats inside the house or creating a purpose built enclosure.”

“This declaration follows January 2015 declarations for Jacka and Moncrieff, which are also located in Gungahlin and in close proximity to an abundance of native wildlife in nearby bushland.

“Cat containment was first implemented in some Canberra suburbs in 2005, and is now in place in Bonner, Coombs, Crace, Denman Prospect, Forde, Lawson, Molonglo, Moncrieff, The Fair (Nth Watson) and Wright. Cat containment will be implemented in Jacka on 1 January 2017.

“Under legislation, cats found roaming in containment areas can be seized by TAMS rangers and an infringement notice issued to the cat’s keeper or carer.

“The benefits of cat containment are not only felt by our native wildlife. The risk of injuries resulting from fights with other cats and traffic incidents are avoided by containing cats, keeping them safe, happy and healthy,” Mr Rattenbury said.

More information on cat containment is available at www.tams.act.gov.au or by phoning Canberra Connect on 13 22 81.