Councils are using gender impact assessments (GIAs) to make animal management fairer and more responsive to the different needs of women, men and diverse groups.
City of Monash – Understanding gender impacts
City of Monash wanted to understand how gender and culture affect pet ownership and community views on animal rules.
Their GIA showed women were more likely to own cats and be less supportive of stricter enforcement. Men backed tougher penalties and higher fees. People who did not state a gender were least supportive of fee increases.
The work also highlighted links between animal abuse and family violence. This showed animal management is about community safety as much as it is about pets.
City of Monash responded by training officers and improving communication for diverse groups. They committed to building gender impacts into the plan.
Actions taken
- reviewed research on gender, pet ownership and family violence
- collected and analysed gender-disaggregated community feedback and data on pet ownership
- trained authorised officers to respond to family violence
- developed multilingual and plain English communications.
Borough of Queenscliffe – Designing inclusive policies
Queenscliffe wanted its new animal management plan to reflect the lives of its community.
Their GIA showed women were responsible for most pet registrations (403 compared with 174 for men). Fines were also found to impact families experiencing family violence the hardest.
The local population is aging and culturally diverse. This meant signage and information were not always accessible for everyone.
The council addressed this by considering fee waivers and improving signage. Council also continues to maintain pensioner discounts to support fairness for older residents.
Actions taken
- analysed pet registration data by gender
- considered the impact of penalties on families facing hardship or violence
- continued pensioner discounts for residents on fixed incomes
- updated signage with pictograms and simple language for accessibility.
City of Casey – Responding to family violence
City of Casey recognised that animal management officers are often the first to see when a household may be in crisis.
Removing pets from their owners can sometimes trigger violence, showing how closely animal management and family safety are linked. The link between animal abuse and family violence has long been recognised, with pets often treated as members of the family. Some violent men use threats to harm or kill pets as a way to control their partners.
Officers at Casey realised they needed better tools to respond and support victim survivors and their families. This experience shifted the council’s approach, showing that animal management is about more than compliance. It is also about protecting people and pets.
Actions taken
- trained animal management officers to recognise signs of family violence
- updated procedures to include referral pathways to specialist services
- worked with partner organisations to arrange temporary housing for pets so families could seek safety without leaving animals behind.
Lessons for other organisations
Use your data
Look at gender-disaggregated data to see how women, men and other groups experience animal management processes and policies differently.
Design with fairness in mind
Apply a GIA early so rules on fees, penalties and signage are set up to be fair.
Equip your officers
Train animal management staff to spot signs of family violence and connect people with support.
Think beyond gender
Consider age, income and cultural background when shaping policies and services.
Link safety and services
Remember that animal management is not only about compliance. It can also support community safety and wellbeing.
Next step
Think about how a gender impact assessment could help your organisation make policies, programs and services fairer and more inclusive.
Download our GIA guide and template.
Updated