Authorities in the city of Perth in Western Australia are developing a new law aimed at restricting the free movement of cats outside the home, reports vokrugsveta.ru.
Under the proposed law, cats would be banned from 27 protected areas, including parks, lakes, school grounds and even a golf course. For violation, owners face large fines: up to 5000 USD for the first case and 500 USD for each subsequent one.
Environmentalists say there are about 8 million cats in Australia, of which 3 million are strays. These animals annually destroy up to 390 million small animals, including rare endemics. Due to the fault of cats, 27 unique species of fauna have already disappeared in the country (for example, pig-footed bandicoots and kangaroo rats).
Similar laws are already in place in several Western Australian cities. Polls show a majority of Australians support a nationwide ban on the free movement of cats, believing it would help preserve biodiversity and save significant conservation dollars.