New cat management facility for the North-West and West Coasts

The Tasmanian Government is enabling responsible cat ownership with funding awarded for the delivery of a new cat management facility in the North West.

Minister for Primary Industries and Water, Jane Howlett, said funding has been awarded to Just Cats Tasmania to improve the community’s access to cat management facilities.

“Just Cats Tasmania has been awarded $424,600 to develop a new cat management facility in Burnie through the Cat Management Facility Grant program,” Minister Howlett said.

“The facility will support the Tasmanian Government’s Cat Management Plan which promotes responsible cat ownership, encourages containment and introduces measures to better mitigate cats’ negative impacts on the environment.

“Management facilities like these are a key community resource to support and encourage the management of unwanted and stray cats, which can pose a threat to native wildlife.

“The funding approval upholds the Government’s 2024 election promise to provide $500,000 for new cat management facilities in the North-West and West Coasts of Tasmania, which is part of the 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future.”

Just Cats was the successful applicant chosen from a competitive grant process undertaken by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania that ran from 6 January 2025 to 21 February 2025.

Cat management facilities are established under the Cat Management Act 2009 as a key community resource to assist with management of cats.

Cat management facilities offer services including accepting surrendered, unwanted or stray cats, reuniting/lost cats with their owners and facilitating adoptions of cats and kittens.

They also provide vet services such as desexing, microchipping, vaccinations and euthanasia of cats, cat boarding facilities and promote responsible cat ownership through education, training and support.

For more information about cat management facilities, visit the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania website: https://nre.tas.gov.au/invasive-species/responsible-cat-ownership/cat-management-facilities