Wyndham City has made changes to its cat trapping services as the result of a nationwide cat vaccine shortage.
From today, Wyndham City will not be offering or performing cat trapping services. This is to reduce the number of cats taken to the Council owned pound and the service provider, The Lost Dogs Home, and the potential exposure to disease in shared spaces.
The Lost Dogs Home is experiencing a critical supply shortage of cat vaccines that results from international production issues.
At this time, the supply of essential cat vaccines in Australia is not expected to improve until February next year.
Wyndham City will actively monitor the situation and resume its cat trapping services as soon as possible, notifying the community when they resume after vaccines are readily available.
Wyndham City Mayor, Councillor Jennie Barrera, said that Council continues to work closely with The Lost Dogs Home to monitor and respond to the situation as it unfolds and remains committed to supporting animal welfare.
“Residents who have requested a cat trap from Council are advised that this service has now ceased, and we regret any inconvenience,” she said.
“Additionally, Council will not be accepting new bookings for cat trappings until the situation with the supply of vaccines is resolved.”
“We encourage residents to consider and explore alternative options before surrendering healthy cats.”
“This may include speaking to your local veterinary practice regarding veterinary costs, seeking support from friends or family members, or contacting welfare agencies if you are struggling to meet the costs of pet food.”
“Should a cat need to be surrendered, residents are encouraged to supply any available vaccination documentation for their cat when delivering it to a shelter so it can be processed quickly and to mitigate duplicate vaccination.”
“Keeping cats indoors and desexing them are ways in which residents can help during this critical time.”