Nuisance animals

You can book a cage to trap nuisance/stray cats. Trapping should only be considered as a last resort. 

Request cage hire

Requirements for the humane handling of a trapped cat exist under the Animal Welfare Act 1985. Advice on the humane cage trapping of cats must be followed and can be found below:

Humane cage trapping of cats(PDF, 160KB)

A trapped cat that is microchipped or wearing a collar must be returned to its owner or released immediately at the location it was trapped. This is a requirement of the Dog and Cat Management Act 1995.

There are things you can do to discourage persistent nuisance cats, visit Dog and Cat Management Board's Nuisance cats page for proven tips and advice.

Please note:

• Contact us on 8384 0666 to book a cage or book online.
• A waiting period of up to four weeks for cages may apply.
• Community Safety will contact you when a cage becomes available.
• A cage hire fee of $17.00 for a period of 7 days applies. A cage may be hired for a maximum of 14 days.
• If you have any queries or wish to cancel your booking, please contact Community Safety on 8384 0666.

Rats are very adaptable animals, making their homes in houses, sheds, garages and gardens. They eat rubbish, pet food, food scraps in uncovered bins and compost heaps, fallen fruit and nuts, bird seeds and vegetables growing in gardens. Rats and mice are very widespread throughout the metropolitan area and in our community and pose more of a nuisance than a health risk.

Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to completely eradicate rats. However, as a property owner or occupier, you are responsible for controlling rats on your own property.

We can help with general rodent control and advice. For more information on identifying and controlling the breeding of vermin on your property, please download the fact sheet below on rodent prevention and control.

Rat prevention and control fact sheet(PDF, 502KB)

We may investigate situations where properties have an extreme accumulation of rubbish/ food waste or are considered to be in a squalid state. Our investigation will include a site inspection of your property, as well as the property that you are concerned about. We cannot investigate individual rat sightings or rats that are attracted to your vegetables/fruit trees etc. If you can’t adequately control rats and vermin on your property, we recommend you contact a professional pest contractor.

If you are a resident, rat cages are available for hire to assist with the removal of vermin from your property.

For more information and assistance about animal trapping and removal, please refer to our Trapping a nuisance animal page.

To book a rat cage please contact us on 8384 0666 or book online.

Please note:

• A waiting period of up to four weeks for cages may apply.
• Community Safety will contact you when a cage becomes available.
• A cage hire fee of $13.00 for a period of 7 days applies.
• If you have any queries or wish to cancel your booking, please contact Community Safety on 8384 0666.

If you believe you have a rat infestation which is causing a nuisance, please visit our Nuisance Impact Assessment page for further advice and information.

Possums are a protected species and are territorial in nature.

Residents must obtain a permit from the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) before trapping possums. It is illegal to handle or interfere with any native animal, including possums, without a permit. For more information about possums and to obtain a permit please visit the Department for Environment and Water.

Please note:

• When you have a valid permit, contact us on 8384 0666 to book a cage. 
• A waiting period of up to four weeks may apply.
• Community Safety will contact you when a cage becomes available.
• A cage hire fee of $17 for a period of 7 days applies. A cage may be hired for a maximum of 14 days.
• Please refer to the conditions of trapping a possum on the permit.
• You will need to present your permit when collecting a cage from our office.
• If you have any queries or wish to cancel your booking, please contact Community Safety on 8384 0666.