A recent directive from the Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council (CGRC) instructing local veterinary clinics not to accept stray, lost, or feral cats has ignited strong community debate over animal welfare, wildlife protection, and council resources in the Riverina region.
The policy change, communicated directly to practices including Cootamundra Veterinary Clinic and Cooper Street Veterinary Hospital, directs members of the public and rescuers to contact council rangers instead. Both clinics have shared the correspondence on their Facebook pages, prompting dozens of comments expressing frustration, concern for native wildlife, and questions about the council’s capacity to handle the issue effectively.
The move comes amid growing national awareness of the devastating impact of feral and roaming cats on Australia’s unique biodiversity. Feral cats kill over 1.5 billion native mammals, birds, reptiles, and frogs each year, contributing to the extinction of more than 20 Australian mammal species. In NSW, predation by feral cats is listed as a key threatening process, with regional councils playing a frontline role in management under the Companion Animals Act 1998.
CGRC’s own 2019 Companion Animal Management Plan emphasises responsible ownership, microchipping, registration, desexing, and confinement of cats—particularly at night—to reduce roaming, fighting, noise complaints, and predation on native fauna. The plan encourages education on collars with bells and promotes rehoming of unclaimed animals while aiming to minimise euthanasia. It also highlights the importance of links with vets, welfare agencies, and the RSPCA to manage health issues and increase successful outcomes for impounded animals.
However, the new directive appears to shift the immediate burden away from private veterinary practices. Clinics are now advising residents that for any enquiries regarding “stray” cats or dogs, they should contact CGRC on 1300 459 689. The council operates an Animal Care Facility in Cootamundra and an Animal Holding Facility in Gundagai, with animals available for release between 9am and 4pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays). Current rehoming listings include domestic cats alongside dogs.
Cootamundra Veterinary Clinic’s Facebook post detailing the correspondence quickly attracted community responses. One resident, actively involved in assisting with ferals, strays, and lost cats to protect native wildlife, described themselves as “disgusted by the directive to release cats back into the wild.” They criticised the approach as contradictory to broader state guidance and noted that local citizens willing to help should be embraced rather than discouraged. “Shame CGRC, our rates pay for rangers,” the comment read, highlighting the perceived impact on wildlife numbers that may not be as immediately visible as threats from feral pigs or goats.
Another commenter questioned the practical implications and legal interpretation: “So any cat rescue organisation can’t accept either? Does the Council realise that the first thing any vet does is scan for a microchip? Does our Council have suitable facilities and protocols/procedures regarding stray or surrendered animals? I’m not sure the Council has interpreted the Companion Animals Act correctly with regards to cats. Council needs to work with the local vets, not ban them from doing the work they do with surrendered cats/strays/kittens. Surely the local vets can be written into any management plans that Councils are required to have as part of the Act.”
Concerns about population growth were also prominent. “Poor cats. The population will explode,” one local posted, reflecting fears that redirecting animals without adequate council infrastructure or rapid response could lead to more unowned cats breeding and roaming.
Cooper Street Veterinary Hospital echoed the sentiment by sharing the original post and noting they had received similar correspondence from council. Their update reinforced the redirection to the dedicated council phone line for stray enquiries.
The issue has also featured in recent local media coverage, including reports on Prime News Riverina, bringing wider attention to the tensions between practical animal management on the ground and broader environmental goals.
Veterinary practices have traditionally served as crucial first points of contact for found animals. They routinely scan for microchips to reunite pets with owners, provide emergency care, assess health and desexing status, and facilitate rehoming through networks of rescues and shelters.
Redirecting all cases to council rangers risks overwhelming limited resources, delaying care for injured or distressed animals, and potentially resulting in more cats being released or left unassisted in the short term.
Under the Companion Animals Act, councils hold primary responsibility for enforcement, impounding, and managing complaints. Identified animals are generally held for a minimum period (often 14 days for microchipped/registered animals) before being considered for rehoming. Unidentified animals have shorter holding periods. The 2019 CGRC plan explicitly aims to improve rehoming rates for lost and stray cats and dogs while reducing unnecessary euthanasia through better partnerships.
Critics argue the new directive may undermine these collaborative goals. With ongoing state-level discussions—including a recent NSW parliamentary inquiry into the management of cat populations—there is increasing focus on options such as mandatory early desexing, support for Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs where appropriate, and clearer pathways for councils to implement containment measures. Many experts and conservation groups emphasise that effective feral and stray cat management requires coordinated efforts between local government, veterinarians, rescue organisations, and the community rather than siloed approaches.
For residents in the Cootamundra-Gundagai area, the immediate advice remains to contact CGRC rangers on 1300 459 689 for any found cats. The council continues to promote responsible pet ownership through registration (mandatory by six months of age), microchipping (by 12 weeks), and its Keeping of Animals Policy. Its Animal Care Facility Facebook page provides updates on animals available for adoption.
As the community grapples with this shift, many are calling for greater transparency from CGRC on its current capacity, protocols for stray cats, and plans for collaboration with local vets and approved rescue groups. Balancing the welfare of individual animals, the prevention of nuisance behaviours, and the protection of precious native wildlife remains a complex challenge in regional NSW.
The directive highlights a wider national conversation: how best to manage the estimated millions of stray and feral cats while supporting the dedicated individuals and organisations on the front lines. For now, locals and animal advocates in the Riverina are watching closely, urging council, vets, and the community to work together toward humane and effective solutions.
The South West Slopes Times covers an area approximately the size of Fiji in country NSW. We look after a population of more than 50,000 people with our staff servicing 7 major towns and dozens of villages with our story telling footprint.
We offer weekly print editions at $3 a copy and we also offer digital subscriptions across 3 months $30, 6 months $60 and 12 months $120.
We are one of the last truly local independent family run newspaper businesses in the state.
Contact us today to find out how we can promote your business or organisation across our huge network by emailing ads@thetimes.net.au or by calling 0413 763 216.
If you have a news tip, lead or scoop for us please make contact as we love celebrating our communities. You can contribute articles via our South West Slopes Times website.
