Your dog, your responsibility

Published on 25 February 2019

After receiving three reports of dog attacks in the last fortnight, Council is again urging that owners take responsibility for their animals.

Council's Manager Compliance, Francois Van Der Berg, said it was imperative that owners ensure their dogs are secure at all times.

"Once a person's dog leaves its yard it doesn't just become the responsibility of Council, the Police or the wider community," he said.

"Council attends to roaming dogs where we can, but both Council and Police only get called when an attack has occurred - we can rarely prevent an attack from happening.

"Owners are responsible for the actions of their dog at all times and can face criminal charges if their dog attacks another person or animal.

"Dog attacks can result in serious injury or death, especially if the victim is a small child or elderly person, and the owner is always culpable."

Mr Van Der Berg said responsible pet ownership was the key to preventing dog attacks.

"When we speak with owners after an attack they are often genuinely surprised and embarrassed, they can't believe their dog would attack someone," he said.

"However owners need to be aware that when their dog is roaming alone or in a pack, it can show a completely different personality.

"Even if a dog does not bite someone, the mere fact that they may appear to be aggressive and chase someone, or bark menacingly at someone is considered an attack."

With harsh new fines recently implemented by the State Government regarding dog attacks, Mr Van Der Berg said it was also in owners' financial interests to look after their animal.

"Fines for dog attack have risen sharply in the last few months from $550 to a whopping $1320 fine, with the possibility of the dog being declared 'Dangerous' or 'Menacing' and requiring special conditions to retain ownership," he said.

"There's never been a worse time to let your dog wander the streets, so please ensure it is safely secured in your yard."