The City of Whittlesea invites Expressions of Interest from local residents to join a series of Focus Groups to provide valuable insights to assist Council to shape the Domestic Animal Management Plan. We will seek, collect and analyse community feedback on a range of key domestic animal management issues, questions and concerns. We will ensure that community feedback sought through this process is acknowledged and understood by Council and clearly informs the drafting of the Domestic Animal Management Plan, and through it the decisions Council will make on animal management issues for the next four years. The Focus Group is not a decision-making body of Council.

Participation in the Domestic Animal Management Plan Focus Groups will be capped at 120 people and participants will be chosen to reflect the diversity of the City of Whittlesea community. This diversity will include ages, genders, abilities, cultural backgrounds, suburbs and household structures.

Focus Group participants will be required to attend one 2.5 hour session and will receive a participatory gift voucher for their time. We will be holding a number of identical sessions across the municipality. The session dates and times are listed below.

Tuesday 24 June – 6.30pm - 9pm Whittlesea Community Activity Centre, Whittlesea

Saturday 28 June – 9.30am - 12pm Civic Centre, South Morang

Monday 30 June – 6.30pm - 9pm at Barry Road Community Centre, Thomastown

To be eligible to be a member of the Focus Group you will need to:

  • Be a resident of the City of Whittlesea
  • Be willing and able to attend one focus group session
  • Be willing and able to complete any pre-session reading, assistance can be organised for those requiring it
  • Declare membership of any special interest group, community groups, networks such as animal advocacy groups, animal businesses, sporting clubs, hobby groups, seniors' groups, schools etc.
  • Not be a current staff member, contractor or Councillor of City of Whittlesea.

If a participant believes that they may have a conflict of interest in any of the issues discussed during the focus groups, they must discuss that conflict with the facilitator.  Should the facilitator decide that the financial interest gives rise to a conflict, the participant will not be permitted to contribute to discussions regarding that project.  

All applications must be received by 5pm on Sunday 8 June 2025

Applications can be submitted:

  • ONLINE at engage.whittlesea.vic.gov.au/damp26
  • BY EMAIL to engagement@whittlesea.vic.gov.au.
  • IN PERSON at City of Whittlesea Customer Service Centre at 25 Ferres Blvd, South Morang
  • BY MAIL to City of Whittlesea, Locked Bag 1, Bundoora MDC VIC 3083.

Please ensure your application is marked Expression of Interest Domestic Animal Management Plan Focus Group and includes a completed application form.