Council adopts Animal Management Plan
Published on 20 September 2024
The Shire of Broome has a formal Animal Management Plan, with the Council adopting the draft document following a five-week public consultation period.
The Shire of Broome Animal Management Plan aims to improve responsible pet ownership and clarify relevant regulations, including dog off-lead areas.
The Animal Management Plan seeks to achieve seven objectives:
- Improve awareness and understanding of responsible and caring behaviour toward animals.
- Increase adoption of responsible pet owner behaviours related to registrations, microchipping, desexing, obedience training, excessive barking, and animal excrement.
- Review animal access on local beaches to improve community safety and animal welfare.
- Review dog access in local reserves, parks, playgrounds and outdoor sports facilities.
- Improve the management of lost, stray and feral dogs and cats.
- Minimise domestic animal impact on local wildlife.
- Strengthen governance and enforcement.
From February 3, 2025 some of the Plan’s short-term actions will include:
- Banning off-lead dogs in the vehicle-accessible area of Gantheaume Beach.
- Extending the dog-prohibited zone at Cable Beach to 2 kilometres north of the rocks to cover the entire camel tours zone after 8am (dogs will be allowed off-leash between 5am and 8am).
- Increasing the dog on leash area south of the Surf Club ramp from 200 to 450 metres.
- Banning dogs on- and off-lead from all playgrounds, including those within parks designated as dog exercise areas.
- Dogs must be on a leash near horses, camels, turtles, footpaths, jetties, and where a boat is being launched or retrieved from a boat ramp or beach.
- A 12-month trial, starting in February 2025, will allow BRAC playing fields to be used as dog off-leash areas when not used for organised sports or events.
- A further trial during the same period using 13 Shire parks for Dog Exercise Areas.
Other key features of the Plan include the ‘Cat Local Law,’ which provides cat containment and a maximum number of cats per property.
The Animal Management Plan resulted from extensive public consultation focusing on pet ownership of dogs and cats in Broome, with considerations for interactions with people, horses and wildlife.
The Shire engaged Catalyse Research to finalise the Plan’s development, which involved one-on-one meetings with key stakeholders like SAFE Broome, camel operators and Broome Veterinary Hospital.
Insights from these meetings shaped a public survey, which received 1002 responses.
Community workshops were held in June 2024 to discuss survey recommendations, which informed the Draft Animal Management Plan.
The Shire received many comments and submissions throughout the consultation periods that in certain instances led to changes to the recommendations in the Draft Plan.
The Shire received several written submissions, some of which led to changes to the adopted Plan, including removing the proposed 10-metre exclusion zone around playgrounds so everyone can use seating installed around playgrounds.
Shire President Chris Mitchell said the high level of public engagement demonstrates the community’s active role in shaping the Animal Management Plan.
“There is strong support for clear, fair and commonsense rules that balance the needs of pets and people, and Animal Management Plan provides this,” Shire President Mitchell said.
“The community consultation period included people with pets and those without, but there was strong support from both camps for stronger controls on dogs where large groups of people gather, such as Gantheaume Beach.”
“The Plan recognises that people want to enjoy a picnic, swim, or engage in activities without worrying about unchecked dogs running around.
“When new regulations come into effect, there will be visible signs in the applicable areas to ensure that individuals comprehend their obligations as pet owners and guardians.”