Great news for pets in strata
The NSW Government department of Fair Trading has released the Strata Schemes Management Regulation 2016 for public consultation.
Cat Protection is very happy to see the proposed regulation is PET-FRIENDLY!
That’s right – the new Act and Regulation will mean that pet-friendly strata schemes are the norm rather than the exception. This is great news for pets in strata.
For more information and if you’d like to support pet-friendly by-laws for strata as the standard, make your submission on the draft Strata Schemes Management Regulation 2016 click here
Submissions can be made via email before 27 May 2016.
As many of you know, Cat Protection has been campaigning on this important issue for many years now and we made it a recommendation for the Companion Animals Taskforce.
It breaks our heart to see – and we see it all the time – loved cats relinquished to us because their people simply couldn’t find pet-friendly housing.
Cats are perfectly suited to apartment living if they are provided with appropriate environmental enrichment (toys, scratch posts, etc – see our Factsheet on Indoor Cats If the cats are well cared for, they will not impinge on others.
Research has demonstrated the benefits of pets to people, including:
- lower levels of risk factors for cardiovascular disease
- fewer doctor visits
- better psychological health including less depression
- a buffer against grief and stress
- positive association with social contact and perceptions of neighbourhood friendliness (social capital)
- children who grow up with pets have better communication skills and are more empathetic.
Denying people the right to responsibly keep a pet is to deny them and the community access to these human health and social benefits.
Please join us in trying to ensure that pet-friendly model by-laws are the reality of the future by emailing your support for the draft regulation to Fair Trading before 27 May.