I’m just more and more impressed with the WA Rangers’ Association’s approach to dangerous dog management.
First, they came out as vocal opponents to WA’s proposed pit bull targeting legislation earlier in the year. Now they’ve drawn attention to a dangerous dog incident that involved two large breed dogs in country WA.
The owner of two dogs that attacked a woman and her child in Dalyellup last year has been fined more than $4000.
The magistrate in the Busselton Court said that although neither the woman nor the infant were physically hurt , the aggressive nature of the incident was sufficient to warrant the heavy fine.
A Capel Shire spokesperson Dean Freeman said the shire hoped the fine would demonstrate that uncontrolled or aggressive dogs would not be tolerated by the community, and that the owners of such dogs would be dealt with severely.
The dogs involved were boxers, which are not listed as a dangerous dog breed in Western Australia.
“You don’t think of boxers as being aggressive, but it just goes to show that all dogs can be dangerous if not under the owner’s control,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter what you own, you still have that responsibility to make sure your dog is on your property or under your control.”
While no one was hurt in this incident, they absolutely could have been, and congratulations to Capel Shire for taking action. A big fat, fine sends a strong message to other owners who have roaming dogs, and speaks a message of fairness, not descrimination. By targeting all owners in an even-handed manner regardless of the breed they own, this state is encouraging the community to take on responsibility for their own safety, rather than look to the goverment to ‘get rid of all the pit bulls’ as some kind of magic bullet.
Meanwhile in Victoria…
… December was a terrible month for dog attacks:
A Doreen man suffered extensive bite wounds to his hands and arms from a ‘pit bull-cross’ that approached from a neighbour’s porch and began to attack his Australian terrier. The man was treated for deep bites, while his dog suffered fractured ribs and punctures.
…
Two roaming dogs identified as ‘pit bulls’ attacked a Jack Russell being walked by their owner in Albanvale. A passerby was injured trying to help, and another claimed to have had to climb a tree to avoid the roaming dogs. The owner is reported to have four other unregistered dogs on the property.
…
The day after xmas a 70 year old lady was followed into her home in Dromana by two staffordshire terriers who injured her when she tried to stop them killing her miniature poodle.
My heart goes out to all of these owners – watching a beloved pet be mauled would be an incredibly traumatic experience. But what is happening with animal control in Victoria when loose animals are roaming around attacking each other (and anyone who intervenes), not one hour out of Melbourne?
While Hugh Wirth (RSPCA) and Graeme Smith (The Lost Dogs Home) are whipping up hysteria about pit bulls, trying to increase the powers of animal management officers to target owners of restricted breeds, their breed specific approach is failing. By focusing on breed and not dangerous behaviour, the community is actually less safe. In all of these cases dogs were roaming who shouldn’t been and regardless of breed, were a danger to society. The owners of these dogs could all be managed under the current animal management laws, but preventative contact and support could have avoided the problems entirely. The problem here isn’t the need for more laws, but simply the proper enforcement of the ones already in existence.
Enforcing existing leash and roaming laws, targeting owners who have a history of irresponsible behaviour and treating owners fairly regardless of their chosen breed, is the only way to keep people and their animals safe from street dog attacks.
