Miranda Devine’s piece on Deeon Higgins – the two year old who was tragically killed by a relative’s dog in NSW on Sunday – throws out some pretty horrifying ‘solutions’ to dog management in Australia;
Pit bull is a term generally used for the American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier and Staffordshire bull terrier. Along with similar breeds, they pose a clear and present danger to humans.
…
Pit bull-type dogs are inherently dangerous.
The horrible death this week of two-year old Deeon Higgins in Deniliquin has to mark the end of the line for dangerous dog breeds as household “pets”.
….
It’s time for a “dog buyback”, similar to John Howard’s gun buyback. There can be an amnesty of a few weeks before the owner of every pit bull, or similar vicious breed, is required to relinquish their dogs to the local council.
Now, lets give Miranda her dues. Sure, she’s not a dog trainer, or behaviorist. She may be a dog owner. She’s an opinion journalist and as such, is entitled to an opinion. But as a journalist, she should also be aware of the facts around what she is proposing.
According to Australian Geographic, and based on national dog registration figures for 2012, the most popular dog breed in our nation is the Staffordshire Terrier (the ‘staffy’).
The American Staffordshire Terrier comes in at number seven, while the Rottweiler comes in at number ten.
Australia’s most popular dog breeds (Australian Geographic)
#1 – Staffordshire Bull Terrier
#2 – Labrador Retriever
#3 – German Shepherd
#4 – King Charles Cavalier
#5 – Golden Retriever
#6 – Border Collie
#7 – American Staffordshire Terrier
#8 – Poodle (miniature & standard combined)
#9 – Pug
#10 – Rottweiler
Also featuring heavily in this mix of popular breeds, but not being able to necessarily be identified, would also be the general ‘mutt’ – some lending towards a more staffy appearance, some more ‘working’ breeds, shepherds, or labradors.
As part of their campaign against ‘dangerous’ dog breeds, Miranda’s employer The Daily Telegraph produced a graph of the most prolific ‘attacking’ breeds in NSW.
If we pull the ‘bully’ type dogs from this list, as is Miranda’s wish, we see…
Staffordshire Bull Terrier – 74,567 registered (650 attacks)
Staffordshire Bull Terrier X – 26,783 registered (362 attacks)
American Staffordshire Terrier – 16,503 registered (252 attacks)
Rottweiler – 27,560 registered (207 attacks)
Bullmastiff – 9,521 registered (145 attacks)
Mastiff – 9,726 registered (140 attacks)
——————————————-
‘Bully’ style dogs – 164,660 registered (1,756 attacks)
Meaning just 1% of these so called ‘dangerous’ breeds are involved in an ‘attack’ in a year. An ‘attack’ in NSW according to the New South Wales Division of Local Government, Department of Premier and Cabinet includes any dog who… rushes at, attacks, bites, harasses or chases any person or animal… whether or not any injury is caused to the person or animal.
Maybe killing 100 dogs, to save one dog rushing someone is worth it in Miranda’s mind. Opinion is opinion, okay. But let’s not stop there. Let’s see where this thinking really takes us.
According to The Australian Companion Animal Council’s 2010 Report ‘Contribution of the Pet Care Industry to the Australian Economy’, there are 1.1 million registered dogs in NSW.
– 165,000 ish are the dog breeds listed above.
– Conservatively, 50,000 at least would be blends of the above.
– And lets add 50,000 dogs who are the ‘lesser’ known bully breeds (ie. stocky dogs with short coats and a big head – Boxers, American Bulldogs, Australian Bulldogs, Bull Terriers, English Bulldogs, Bull Arab and of course ‘dogs who look like American Pit Bulls’)
Giving us the need to, in NSW alone, cull – 265,000 dogs. Or another way – about 25% of the overall dog population.
The same Australian Companion Animal Council study stated that nationally, there are 3.4 million dogs living in our homes. Killing one in four dogs under Miranda’s ‘dog buyback scheme’ means a total of – are you ready Miranda? – 850,000 healthy, friendly – but dead – dogs.
And for what end? Remember those stats on ‘attacks’ above; this will in actuality only potentially stop 1% of those dogs ever doing something deemed to be an attack- including rushing or chasing without causing injury.
While according to Linda Watson of Murdoch University…
Until the recent tragic death of Ayen Chol, no dog bite related deaths in Victoria have been attributed to a dog identified as a pit bull or pit bull cross.
My ongoing research has found that since 1979, there have been over 33 dog bite related deaths in Australia, 11 of these in Victoria. Only one other dog involved in a death in Australia has previously been described as a pit bull cross dog.
… indicating that despite potentially culling nearly a million dogs, we likely won’t prevent a human death at all.
Of course this is all waxing idiotic. There is no situation whereby our pet loving community would allow one in every four dogs to be killed just for how they look. However, there is a great potential for great harm to be caused to our dog laws on the back of such media hype.
Widespread culling – and the media outlets who salivate over it – may get eyeballs and outrage, but they don’t save the lives of children. In fact, they contribute to harm us all. Continuing to look at ‘breed’ as the cause of dog bite incidents directs our scarce animal management dollars into programs and services which fail to make the community safer. Seizing healthy, friendly dogs at great cost, while programs which educate caregivers of children, and the tools dog owners need for raising healthy, happy dogs, fall by the wayside.
Everyone wants to see truly dangerous dogs kept from harming anyone the community. But unsurprisingly, killing hundreds, thousands or even a million healthy, friendly dogs doesn’t make that desire a reality.
See also: Analysing a failure of safe dog ownership: Dog attack fatality NSW
Thank you for the above information. I was disgusted to read her article and find it extremely upsetting and narrow minded. Time and time again “bull breeds” have proven themselves as compassionate dogs and have even saved toddler/adult lives, but sadly the media doesn’t report on the positives.
Even looking at the history of the breed (one example) “In 1917 Sgt Stubby became a war hero by saving several soldiers lives and capturing a German spy while serving in the trenches of France with the 26th Yankee division”. They were looking after mankind and look how they are being repaid.
I love all dogs and am a mother of a 2 year old. Children must be supervised at all times around all breeds of dogs and it is all about responsible ownership.
Thank you so much for calling this woman’s bluff maybe the truth needs to be published for a change I personally am appalled after working with all breeds for many years I own staffys over any breed they are one of the most trusted dog with children hence the name the nanny. I am also very upset that every dog is labelled as a pit bulls pitbulls are pit bulls not mastiffs and not Staffordshire bull terriers evendogs who look nothing like any breed are still published as pit bull or Staffordshire no dog breed should be release until it is officially tested and if they want to report dog attacks then do them all instead of only bull breeds you are installing fear into people who know no better
Appalled to the point of laughter at this ridiculous suggestion. Perhaps we should also euthanize every drunk driver, rapist, paedophile, firearm owner etc. While we’re at it, may as well kill all the sharks, elephants, lions, tigers. Hell, let’s kill everything and everyone that ever hurt or maimed another. Almost certain that includes both you and I, Miranda.
Well said Stephanie!
well said Stephanie, lets kill everything that doesn’t conform to her perfect world, we could include snakes, crocs, spiders, but how about all the bad humans, who don’t know how to treat animals and train them to be bad. There is no bad dog, or cat they are all born innocent babies. They are not born bad, they are just treated bad by bad humans. So lets treat the cause, not the innocent victims. Deal with the cause and the problem would not be there.
Very well said and a non ignorant opinion
Nicely analysed. The other point of course is the proposal is to give owners new dogs from the rescue/shelter population. But given that a very high percentage of them are bully x they will be wiped out as well. I wonder if the trauma of removing family pets from children’s lives has been factored in by Ms Devine? I really wish journalists who spend their time making personal statements would leave issues like these up to experts who work in the field who are capable of educated comments.
Louise Kerr
Elite Pet Care & Education.
im an American staffordshire owner And my dog is the most calm/friendly dog ever. Every time i walk him without fail theres always dogs on the loose (all those annoying fluffy breeds) Il be walking him when one always without fail runs over and starts nipping/biting at him to the point i usually have to lift him up. and im not saying the same dog im saying in my area theres like 8 dogs on the loose in just the area i walk my dog. his bled at times to from them and you never hear anything about the fluffy dogs that bite people or other dogs the most but when any big looking dog attacks or scares someone the media brands the dog a pitbull when nearly every single time they get it wrong i thought the two times a kids died from dog attacks it was a bull mastiff cross and nothing to do with pitbulls so i dont know why all pitbulls and staffys and such are in the danger zone, shouldent it be the bullmastiffs? this is just my opinion but obviously killing a whole breed is just stupid its no differnt to killing a whole race because a minority of them have done bad.
miranda devine yet another idiot reporter along with who ever thought up the dog exchange scheme … moron is being too kind …
Love your work Shel. Factual as always.
You would also have to ask once the people who owned those bull breeds took on new dogs, then the stats for dog attacks from other breeds would rise with the rising numbers owned?
Do we then move on in 5 years to the breeds which would with the removal of bull breeds rank the highest in attacks, get rid of those and continue to do this every few years until dogs are banned altogether?
A very well written article. Hopefully soon common sense will prevail.
excellently said by the writer and the lady kelly scattanach!
this report was truly disgusting, no one is looking at the source of the problem, only at the outcome, and the media is fueling it. sad days for dogs that once were decorated war heroes.
Miranda Devine should get her facts correct in the first instance, for such a well known reporter (and respected for much of her work) this piece is very concerning. Perhaps she was in a hurry to meet deadline and did not check her facts.
Miranda, take yourself off to a dog rescue organisation and see what happens on the other side, visit a puppy farm and make contact with owners of all sorts of dogs, then come back and write pieces on all 3 of your visits in an honest, informed way.
Very disappointed with you.
Excellent article! I was angered reading her response to the attack. I will be quoting those figures. Thank you!
Nobody should be offended by what Miranda Devine has say. She likes to think she is clever by stirring up a hornets nest, everything that is printed in her name is offensive and has the smell of patent stupidity. She hides behind her newspaper column and would never dare to appear at a public forum to espouse her irrationality but sits in her ivory tower professing to be knowledgable on all subjects, I guess she could be listed as a shock jock of printed media. Karma one day will extract its retribution.
Watch out for the Chihuahuas I tells ye! They are just waiting for the moment to pounce!
I’ve had more damage done to me by journalists than by dogs, may I propose some sort of buy-back scheme for them?
Excellent article – based in fact rather than fanciful and dangerous opinion. I agree – everyone is entitled to opinion, even journalists, but as journalists have the ability to present their views through broad media outlet more so than others do, journalists should at least project their opinion based on research and some semblance of knowledge. This is what the general public tend to THINK they do, and that makes flaunting such fanciful opinions so incredibly dangerous.
We all want Community Safety. It’s bad enough that the Government adopted proven failed and flawed laws (Breed Specific Legislation) in the first place and flew in the face of the advice from those knowledgeable and experienced in the field of “dogs”. But simply building on those laws (which the Victorian Government has since done – again, against all good advice) and then having completely illogical and reckless opinion asserted as Miranda did, only serves to make a bad situation worse.
BSL and any derivative of BSL do not and will never work. Not only do they not work, it is world-wide proven that bite stat injuries INCREASE in those States and Countries who have adopted them. Those who continue to support BSL and wish to have that legislation grow even further are adding to the increased likelihood of some other child or person being bitten.
I’m stunned that an MP read Miranda’s article (remember – based on nothing in terms of knowledge, experience or research) and thinks it worthwhile considering. Yet we have been writing to the Government for years, informing and explaining the flaws inherent in BSL and offering laws KNOWN AND PROVEN AS SUCCESSFUL in making for a far safer community and no politician has ventured forth to show much in the way of interest, let alone make murmur towards giving serious consideration to them. Makes one shakes one head in bereft disbelief.
More ppl die each year to bee stings but hey they are protected in parts..
Oh thats right us humans want something off them
But be serious
Wonderful analysis and opinion piece. I was moved to think of what we could do with the ‘hate speech laws’ and Miranda Devine when I read her article. If speech leads to killing of the innocent, it must surely be hate speech?
Miranda clearly had not seen the thousands of innocent dogs killed every year because there is not enough home for them or people do not want certain breeds because of what the media tells them. i think her and the media should take a visit to a pound and see if they really want to ad to the already high death rates.
we seem to forget that maybe the ‘owners’
of these dogs might have something to do with it? if you train your dog to be viscious, guess what they will be.
a new and tougher desexing law needs to come into place to ensure only registered pure breeds are bred not all these ‘cross breeds’. desexing needs to be made more affordable and people should be punished for using dogs as a ‘money making
machine’
Miranda, don’t know which is worse. Your genius plan for dog management (which is barbaric). I feel sad you obviously haven’t experienced having a pet because that’s typical of someone who probably doesn’t even like dogs. A terrible tragedy happened, that could have been avoided. Owners of ANY dog breed, should know better when young children are around. My first dog was 4 yrs old when my first child was born and he was a Neo mastiff, I spent a long time reading up on the best way to have a baby in he house with such a big dog. It paid off with a wonderful bond between them both. Never ever were they alone in the same room, and children that were visiting were kept away at all times. Your ignorance and complete lack of knowledge (you have no idea, made a complete fool of yourself). Not just dogs but animals in general are the ones that cop it. Yet the owners can slacken off with obedience and behaviour, leading to tragedy’s, putting dog’s down is doing jack#%+#. Start with some education, you might even learn something.
Thank you for writing such sensible piece. I fail to comprehend the sensationalist rubbish predicated by people claiming to be journalists through mainstream media. Then again, all this sensationalist rubbish Ms Devine concocted is what sells her newspapers. I am glad for that though, as my cat litter trays need paper for lining, the very one she writes for, which people at work give to me for free at the end of the day. I would not spend a cent of my money buying that commie rubbish.
In the meantime, my two very large Mastiff x GSDs will happily share their house with my wife and me, another Kelpie x Cattle dog and six beautiful cats who thank her for providing them with the litter tray liner – I’ll make sure next time I put her face up under the scoop of cat litter.
The apparently big (50kg+), aggressive “pit bull” types I own share beds, lounges, dinner and everything else with their feline companions and have never harmed a person in their lives. I recently spent time with my dominant Mastiff x GSD and my friend’s eight year old daughter playing together outside on neutral territory and all my big boofhead wanted to do is fetch the ring for the young girl. Supervision and control is paramount with any dog breed and two solid years of obedience training school ensured us of having easy to control, obedient and wonderful large apparently dangerous dogs. The other was recently in hospital having a leg amputated due to bone cancer and all the vets, nurses were just in love with him as he is nothing but a gentle giant. Had he have been a vicious, aggressive, potential killer as many of these breeds are portrayed, he would’ve wiped out the entire staff of that large vet hospital being in an unfamiliar place, put under such stress. Yet he was praised for being one of their best patients, easy to handle, to feed and to medicate.
Simply put, there are most likely way too many people out there who own dogs who should never own anything other than a stuffed teddy bear.
I just don’t understand why there not looking at improving the services provided for dog education. It would be refreshing to seeing councils work with people in improving a dogs behavour or and educating owners . All they want to do is kill our pets.
We all know what a tragedy is was that a child died, but shouldn’t this spark the need to educate people who own dogs and people who don’t.
Shouldn’t it be a call out that we need to change the way we view dog ownership. So many people buy dogs only to give them back to shelters when they think its too hard. Unfortunately that dog has probably missed out on valuable socialization skills and training at the start of there lives.
Our whole understanding of dog and its behavour is always changing. There are so many opportunities to improve the services that councils provide that will benefit the community as a whole.
It’s very naïve to declare all dogs of the same or similar breed as ‘dangerous’ and given the statistics and that attacks are less than 1% from the breed in question, it’s quite obvious that such a grand plan as this scheme is ludicrous.
Owning staffies myself, which would lick you to death and have no interest whatsoever in engaging in any unwarranted behaviour, those who comment appear to not be very knowledgeable of the breed and have little information and zero interaction with the breed.
The owners would need to be seriously questioned in regard to the training of the dog (and a dog which is trained to hunt pigs has obviously not had the best upbringing or been treated as a loved family pet). The serious and most important aspect for those wanting to resolve this issue needs to take a serious look at the owners of the dogs involved in any of the dogs involved in any incident, regardless of breed, and take a close look at their situation as a whole, their reason for owning the dog, the way the dog has been treated and living environment as a whole obviously has a serious impact on how any dog will behave. Responsible pet owners who own dogs for the right reasons and treat them with respect would rarely have an issue!