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Cats are avid hunters, and to blame for much of the predation in New Zealand. The council stopped short of adopting a bylaw, but agreed cat owners needed to take more responsibility. It planned to work with dotterel researcher Ailsa Howard, the Department of Conservation and regional council Environment Canterbury to find a “pragmatic solution”. Wellington City Council was the first to implement cat controls, updating its animal bylaw in 2016 to include mandatory microchipping. The New Plymouth City Council adopted an animal bylaw last year limiting the number of cats allowed on each urban property to three, unless the resident had express approval from the council.