Charlie, Sharni (front) and a family friend (back)…
In early November last year, Shannon’s two family dogs Charlie and Sharni escaped their yard and despite frantic efforts to find them, got themselves into big trouble.
They killed a cat owned by someone in the neighbourhood. The dogs were impounded by Frankston Council and held at the Lost Dogs Home.
Knowing that her dogs weren’t mean – Charlie was adopted from Animal Aid, and both dogs lived with kids, cats and other pets – and that the family had lived at her property for more than four years without incident, Shannon believed that she and her dogs would be treated fairly and reasonably.
Shannon did not contest the charges brought against her in court. She was prepared to be fined, and realised her dogs may be declared ‘dangerous’, even though they weren’t aggressive and had never been in trouble before. Shannon thought that as a pet lover with a history of caring for her pets without issue, if she was willing to pay the fines and invest in the appropriate care and containment for her dogs, she would be allowed to take them home after the last court date.
In short, she was willing to accept a reasonable penalty for her family’s mistake.
Fast forward to today and the case is still not resolved. The dogs are still impounded at the Lost Dogs Home, and the care and upkeep charges are now in excess of $6,000. With two small children, Shannon has been forced to get a second job to try and begin to cover these expenses. In addition the family have had to pay for a laywer, barrister and had fines from the court.
For four months these dogs have been held with only one visit to from their family. In what seems like a deliberate effort to maximize their distress, the dogs are not being held side by side, but separately from each other.
The family has built an escape proof enclosure. They have had the dogs assessed by an extremely experienced veterinary behaviourist, who deemed them to be safe around humans and other dogs. They have hired a lawyer and barrister to try and fight the directive. All in an effort to save their dog’s lives.
Still, this week, the Council has declared it will be killing the dogs.
Rather than walk away from her pets, Shannon has made herself and her family broke trying to save them.
Rather than show Shannon and her family compassion, Frankston Council will kill Charlie and Sharni this Wednesday, after the long weekend.
Killing a dog for killing a cat, seems an extraordinarily harsh penalty when the owner is compliant and willing to ensure that the animal is not given the opportunity to make another mistake.
To kill two dogs for the death of a cat when both dogs have been assessed as not dangerous, seems like genuinely excessive action from council.
No one denies what these dogs did was incredibly shitty – but is kill-punishing them really the most appropriate way for us to react? I personally hope Council will review this decision and see that there is no benefit in causing further devastation by ending the lives of this family’s pets.
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If you want to register your protest of the treatment of Charlie and Sharni, please let Frankston council know how you feel on their Facebook page. Also email Frankston council ([email protected]) as well as the councilors addresses here: The CEO of Frankston Council is Dennis Hovenden. |
A very poor excuse to kill two dogs that have a loving home. A fine would have been adequate enough! My dog kills wild rabbits all the time – very hard for a dog to tell the difference. They are not a danger to other dogs or people in social situations – so let them be returned!!.
I’m not a cat owner but I don’t agree with the decision. Where’s the evidence they killed the cat ? The family is clearly going to great lengths to do the right thing why keep punishing them?
LET THE POOR DOGS GO… i feel sorry for the cat owner but i agree that cats are ment to be indoors or at least in the arvo.
Why was the cat not in an inclosure and what did the cat do to the dogs to provoke them. the dogs probably thought they were protecting someone or something. we dont own cats as they will kill the wildlife. where dogs dont.
how about thinking of the kids as it is a FAMILY pet. the council obviously dont have kids or a heart. im glad i dont live in your district. if the dogs were dangerous u would think the owners would have done something by now as they have kids but thats not the case as they have been deemed not dangerous.
if the owner is willing to pay an excess of $6.000 in fines, upkeep and court fees dont u think the dogs have had there punishment and the owner was willing to build escape proof yard to put them in that she truly cares and gone through a lot of grief an effort to do the right thing.
PLEASE THINK OF THE FAMILY AND THE KIDS AND LET THE POOR DOGS GO.
Frankston council you make me sick. If the cat was out and about wandering the streets then technically it is a wild animal, only returning home for food! Consider that.
So are you going to be going out in the wild and punishing all the wild animals that are doing natural things? They kill to survive!! Remember that. So do humans we eat chickens, cows, sheep etc. part of nature!!
Stop the murder of these precious dogs, it’s disgusting.
Frankston city council it is obvious these dogs are very much loved by their owner as they are part of their family. The family had paid their fine and the dogs have definitely served their time. The dogs are deemed safe by Vet behaviourist and an escape proof fence has been installed in their backyard. Killing the dogs is not ethical, not justifiable and certainly not acceptable. Please release and return the dogs to their much loved family.
Please fc if you have a heart let the two beautiful dogs United with their family. The owner already done what they could even willing to go broke just to paid the fine. Haven’t you pushish them and the two dogs enough? Yes they are dogs but that doesn’t mean you can treated them like crap, they’r have feeling and emotion just like you. The dogs never had a bad history so why they had to die just because they attacked the cat. Why haven’t you pushish the cat owner for letting the cat roaming the Street, it’s to show that the cat owner is irresponsible owner. So please please doing the right thing and let the two dogs go back to their family.
Disgusting. This council should not get away with and should be voted out next election
I find it an absolute disgrace the action Frankston council are taking.
Dogs chase cats, to them it’s more of a game, something moves quickly, they will chase, be it a ball or another animal, in my opinion dogs DO NOT set out to kill cats, it was more likely a game of ‘chasey’ that went horribly wrong.
I am a cat lover, I feel for the owner of the poor cat, has anyone asked them what they feel should happen to the dogs? probably NOT!
We have a dog and a cat, they chase each other often, if my cat was inadvertently killed by a dog – who was more than likely wanting to play, I would be devastated, but I most certainly wouldn’t expect the dog to be killed for doing so.
How inflexible, arrogant, ignorant and unfeeling of Frankston Council. Get real their animals that have instincts and make mistakes. The family have done everything possible and a lot more than they should have to. It sounds like the council has it in for them.
But in retrospect lve complained 3 times in 4 years about a dog very local to me that wakes me every morning everyday at 7am barking and crying all day until 5pm with no action taken even though l explained at one point l was recovering from a liver transplant. The ranger is damn lazy and useless. Obviously except when he gets a bee in his bonnet about a particular case. I am selling my house to get away from it but thats ok hey Frankston Council. Talk about double standards !!!! Give thos family back their pets you cruel dictators !!!!! And drop the upkeep fees. I wont be voting for any current councellors unless this is dealt with as it should be.
Come on Frankston how will killing these dogs help the situation. This was an accident. The dogs escaped. They were not deliberately let out to wreak havoc.
I had my 16 year old cat killed by a dog right in front of me when I was 17 …. I blamed the owner, not the dog. The dog was not at fault. The owner was for letting the dog loose as it’s exercise! If the dog had escaped, that would be a different story. It would be no ones fault. You can’t help a dog chasing a cat. It’s a instinctive reaction.
Have a heart, you can explain to the dogs they did the wrong thing!
This is so wrong! Yes the dogs got out but so did the cat! Dogs are stronger than cats, the cat dying could have been an accident for all we know, the dogs could have been trying to play and accidentally killed the cat. I’m sorry the cat owner lost their pet but the cat should not have been out. How is killing 2 beloved and well looked after dogs an answer to this? The owners have paid fines, paid fees for the pitiful care provided, paid for behavioural assessment and taken measures to ensure the dogs will not escape again. Give them back their dogs or at least return all the legal fees and the fees associated with the poor housing you provided for their pets while you dragged your asses in court. Oh and fine the cat owner for not having it contained.
This is a letter I have sent to all councillors.
Hi Councillors
Wanna get re-elected next time round? Here’s two valuable tips.
1. Disassociate yourself and get a mile away from anyone in the Frankston City Council who is in favour of killing two family dogs.. They will be lucky not be publically hung in the street by an angry public for their outrageous way they have handled this issue.
2. Make a name for yourself. Come out swinging in favour of popular opinion. The constituants will love you.
Sean Wright
West Auckland Dog Walkers Association
Two dogs escape and kill a cat and they are sentenced to death? What a wonderful world we live in! They are dogs.. sadly, they are known for killing cats (just as cats are known for killing birds and mice)! Punish the owner, not the pets!
SAVE CHARLIE AND SHARNI!!
these 2 dogs deserve a 2nd chance,they are part of a loving familyid do hope they do the right thing and keep them safe.
25 years ago when we were rate payers in the City of Frankston the dog patrol took our 13 year old registered Kelpie from our property where she used to lie at the front gate. A neighbour witnessed the action and notified us. We rang the pound every day but they kept telling me they didn’t have my dog. I finally went to the pound and asked to check for myself. In the last kennel was our poor old dog “Pappy”. When asked why they told me lies they said someone had recorded the registration number of our dog wrong and she was showing as a male chihuahua so they didn’t realise she was the dog I was ringing about. She was to be destroyed the next day, lucky for us we were persistent and Pappy lived till she was 19. I can’t believe what is happening to this poor family and I pray that common sense takes over before Wednesday.
Wrong!! Killing the dogs isn’t going to achieve anything. The owners have taken responsibility for the dogs actions and I am sure they will make sure this never happens again. The dogs were just following their natural instincts – dogs chase cats. Same as sharks attscking humans in the ocean – natural intinct. We should shouldn’t be killing the shark either. Let the dogs return to their loving family. Have a heart.
How dare you Frankston council declare a dog dangerous because it killed a cat. Have you ever thought that many dogs don’t like cats and if they by some chance a larger dog managed to catch a strange cat it would kill it? I think many dogs would. Or is this dog by some chance fit your so called loose – un scientific specification for pitbull? Dogs are dogs and a dog attacking a cat is natural .. even a 4 year old who watches cartoons could tell you that. I knew the new dog legislation would see the slaughter of innocent dogs, Well i say to the council member who enforces this legislation… think if your child bullied another child and someone wanted to put your child down because of something innocent… To some people their dogs are seen as part of the family and the emotions they will go through will parallel that scenario.
Have a heart. They have already suffered enough. Let them go home to be with each other and feel the hugs and love of their family.
we give people 3 strikes why not animals
I’ve written on their FB page, if these people destroy these two family pets, us the people of LONDON will pursue a relentless petition to compensate the family of this attrocity committed against them. The cat owner should help this family, and speak with them over what was a terrible mistake. Humanity need to come closer together and support each other in compassion, love and kindness. The owners loss of the cat is very sad, but they have the choice to show that mercy and forgiveness over rule Government Institutions who care only for Beauracracy. Be assured, if these dogs are destroyed, LONDON will join in the protest and removal of the officers responsible for making thie decision, and we will raise the funds to do so. England is nothing like this state. Disgracefull abuse of authority. We won’t give up on you shannon, charlie and Sharni.
I believe dogs that have attacked/killed before need to be with the right owner who is prepared to give the constant supervision required and is able to monitor its situations so the dog is always set up for success. The owners of these 2 poor babies appear to have gone above and beyond that.
Why don’t the council go and deal with all the abuse cases instead of pursuing people that care for there animals!
While I feel very sorry for the cat and it’s owners, I must question why they bear no fault whatsoever for the cat being outside in the first place.
The dogs made a terrible mistake; however it is natural for them to go after cats- it is instinct. The owners are prepared to make whatever restitution they need to, but you are needlessly adding additional financial burden on them, and emotional distress on these animals.
Please let common sense prevail and show the world you are compassionate and fair and let these two animals go. Nothing can bring the cat back, but you can provide a 2nd chance to these family pets.
This is discusting! Dont you think this poor family has been through enough hurt and pain?
What do you get out of hurting a young family and there two little children?
How do you sleep at night knowing you have 2 healthy happy harmless dogs locked in cages that couls be out getting the love and attention the deserve to have?
This act really is pathetic. Cats are ment to be kept inside i believe? I doubt you have looked into that part very well did yous. This is down right discusting and i hope you are all so very ashamed of yourself. This needs to end and the poor dogs need to go back to their owners!
I’ve experienced similar with Frankston Council, they are heartless bullies.
It’s disgusting & I hate to say it, but I think everyone’s pleas will fall on deaf ears.
So sorry for this family, as well as the owners of the cat, all our victims in this scenario.
Disgusting . How sad for these poor dogs . Show a bit of common sense !!!
Wake up people who are in charge are you so closed minded do you ever make mistakes, have some heart, these dogs do not deserve to die, they made a big mistake and the owners are doing everything in their power to satisfy this would not happen again, the dogs are not deemed dangerous, they have made provisions and which are needed and very costly. Please reconsider and make the RIGHT decision. If you make the wrong decision remember Karma will come around to you and please remember why when it does. Stop this insanity and give back these 4-legged furbabies to this loving and caring family now.
As a Stafford owner, and he was a rescue dog..Its amazes me they way these dogs are constantly victimised, constantly blamed and people saying how bad they are. Its all been said before of course and will fall on deaf ears again and again. My neighbour had a Kelpie and he killed 2 of our cats. Not a Staffy, A KELPIE.
A picture came up on social media yesterday of a dog nose to nose with a child, a fun family picture and all warning signs were hi lighted, eyes, ears apparently the dog was ready to attack ..BUT…somebody took this picture while this SO CALLED Dangerous dog POSED WITH A SMALL CHILD WITH NOSES TOUCHING and what did they use for the photo?…Yep you got it…A STAFFY!! of course!!!!
This complete victimisation of the Stafford breed has gone out of proportion . This family have bent over backwards to do everything they can to make their garden/property dog safe.
WHO IS LOOKING AFTER OUR LOVED PETS… Not Frankston Council that’s for sure. When has a pet owner done enough to secure their property to ensure this cant happen again? A working class family who have gone close to financial ruin to save these much loved pets.
Of course I feel sad for the family who owned the cat, I have been there in that situation and to this day I still see my sons face as he held the dying Cat in his arms after the Kelpie had shaken it to death.
I let the Kelpie survive!! I took it no further!!
I recently sat chatting to a Cocker spaniel Breeder who told me, Stafford’s can’t be trained? they are known for this that and everything else, Absolute DISLIKE opinion of Stafford Breeds But when I spoke to her about a known Collie Breeder who’s dogs lived in shocking conditions who is/was also a show dog judge..Her reply to me was. Oh that’s a ‘SET UP” .. Of course its not a set up for the Staffy’s though. SAVE THESE DOGS FROM DEATH ROW , THIS IS OUT OF CONTROL..
Absolutely DISGUSTING!!!! RETURN THEM TO THEIR FAMILY!!!! What are you teaching those children, who love and miss their dogs?!!!!!??
Give this family a chance they have done everything they can to make sure these dogs will be contained for christ sake dont murder these dogs
I tried to Email the councilors but the email addresses given in this story don’t actually work for some reason, maybe had to change them due to too many unhappy people SO Im sure they are keeping an eye on this page so I am posting my letter to them on here.
TO ALL THE COUNCILLORS WHO HAVE HAD A FINGER IN THIS REVOLTING PIE:
What are you thinking, This pet owner has done her best to ensure that her dogs cannot escape from her yard again, it is a first offence, how can you justify Killing her dogs? People Murder people and they don’t get the death penalty. I’m not saying the cat doesn’t matter because it does, but seriously get a grip. Sounds to me like your on a power trip, the dogs were assessed as not dangerous by a professional, what are you? any qualifications on animal behavior? I bet not. Did anyone see how the cat was attacked? My nana used to have a cat that would sit on her fence and when a dog walked past he would jump onto the dogs back, they could have in fact been feeling threatened themselves. If you go ahead with this horrible act, I hope that you never have to go through what this pet owner has to go through, ONE mistake is all it takes and maybe you will get to feel the sadness your causing this lady and her family. I hope your stone heart finally crumbles, I hope that you are going to go and watch the animals as their lives are taken, watch them draw their last breath, I bet you wont have the guts to do that either. No wonder people are losing all respect for councilors, A bunch of wanna be politicians who don’t have what it takes to get you there.
Well enjoy making people sad, enjoy spending rate payers money, Enjoy KILLING FAMILY PETS. Hope you all sleep well at night, nah not really I hope your decision haunts you for the rest of your lives. You decision is more barbaric than the dogs to kill the cat, they are in fact animals, you are supposed to know better as HUMANS what a joke!!! well enjoy the nightmares councilors, Glad your not in my area, every case is different and you really should look at what lengths owners are prepared to go to prevent something happening again. HAVE A BLOODY HEART.
WISHING YOU KARMA to you and yours. Sincerly D Savage
This is disgusting. Unless dogs are brought up around cats they will never get along with them. It’s human nature!!! Cats kill birds and we don’t go destroying the cats do we. If the owner is prepared to pay for the bills as well as contain the dogs in an appropriate enclosure, what is the purpose of putting them down? Frankston council are a disgrace. They are out to destroy any large breed of dog that does wrong. You should be addressing the real issue here. Punish the owner through fines and strict confinement restrictions on the dogs. If they agree to comply, give them their dogs back. We don’t have the death penalty in Australia and it most definately should not be the solution for 2 friendly dogs that killed a cat. Frankston council need to get their priorities straight.
This is so disgusting shouldn’t the cat be locked up on a curfew the owners are suppose to keep there cat locked up..shouldn’t it be then that a cat will be put down cos it killed wildlife or the neighbours pet bird…let the poor dogs go home to their family where they want to be where they are loved and love there family
what happened isnt right but neither is what your doing to these dogs.nowdays it is not an eye for an eye like it used to be.these dogs and the family deserve a chance to prove themselves and show it wont happen again.to put these dogs down is immoral on many levels and inhumane to them and their family.
When you have owners willing to comply with the charges, escape proof fence says it all. Just let the dogs go. Yes, it’s horrible for the cat and the owner but these dogs don’t deserve to die. Council’s really don’t have the appropriate people in power to be making these decisions.
Surely blame lies with both parties (the cat owner for letting it roam free) and to the dog owners for allowing their pets to escape the property. It is glaringly obvious that the dog owners are doing everything in their power to ensure this incident is never repeated. Even within our justice system, an offender’s history (or lack thereof) is taken into account at sentencing…these dogs are not puppies, they have a clean record for this type of behavior so one could assume a probationary period would be appropriate. Send them home, subject to upgrades to the property boundaries etc but send them home. Your decision to exterminate them is barbaric and arbitrary…bureaucracy at it’s absolute worst…posturing and muscle flexing with no good outcome for anyone. You do not have the right to be laws unto yourselves…you are paid representatives to the community you serve so LISTEN to what your ‘boss’ is telling you…the community sees no good or benefit in this murderous decision.
Is there video or some other proof that these two dogs, who live with cats, actually did this? I’m sorry but this just seems a bit far fetched if you ask me. This council should be ashamed of themselves. Certainly not an area I would consider moving to if this is how they treat animals.
I had my dogs let out of a locked back yard one got into a fight with the other dog it didn’t die but had to have stitches it took 3 months and not one visit for them to decide to put my dog to sleep the council doesn’t care about the pets family. The judge was very bias on the situation and told me that I was stupid for owning staff’s
Obviously a horrible situation- for the dogs, their family (I won’t say owners because anyone who has a dog can tell you they own us far more than we own them!), for the cats family, and even the council. But when the family have done absolutely everything to ensure this won’t happen again including the assessments and building an enclosure the dogs can’t get out of what is actually gained by having the dogs killed? Is it about ensuring it can’t happen again? Well no the enclosure and family’s vigilance take care of that. Is it about punishment or restitution? Well no the fines and family’s compliance in keeping the dogs from escaping again do that. So really franks ton council- what’s it about and what is to be gained from killing these two dogs? Not one single thing. Please have a heart!
I am appalled by FCC’s decision to put the dogs down. It makes me feel ashamed to be a resident of Frankston.. I am a cat and dog owner and believe in resposable pet ownership. Dogs escape from time to time as do cats and for the cat owner this is just one of the consequinces of allowing your cat to roam. not to mention, cats are killers too! do they get put to sleep for killing someones pet bird or a childs pet guinea pig or wildlife??? I think not!! both parties involved have learnt their lesson and the dogs should go back home to their family
If these dogs have been appraised by veterinary behaviorist why are they to be murdered? This does not seem to be their normal behavior. Please reconsider this heartless route, these people seem to have done all they could to ensure this doesn’t happen again. Would the council have a human murdered because they killed a cat?
So a cat is allowed roam free and kill birds when it wants but dogs escape and supposedly kill a cat they get killed? Seems fair… cats should be kept inside if your going to let them outside to roam then you acknowledge there is a possibility they will be harmed. They could be hit by a car or someone takes them home. Get real and be fair.
This is disgusting behaviour by the council. I hope there is strong proof they did in fact killed this cat. They must be let go they have done the time for the crime in human speak. Good luck and I hope they r u returned to theit loving family soon
We have 2 cats adopted from RSPCA and they are outside during the day when we are working outside. Often they sneak inside for a “nana nap ‘ , of an evening they are brought inside (actually they come in of there own volition) we close the door behind them, no night time prowling. In our council cats must be contained in their own yard and are not allowed to wander, same rules as the dogs. Where was the cat when these dogs supposedly attacked and killed the cat?
This is disgusting! The Frankston council ought to be ashamed of themselves. Would you kill a human for making a mistake? No. Well, that is what you’re putting this poor family through. For most loving and caring pet owners, their animals are just as much apart of the family as anyone. Imagine if it was your beloved animals, how would you feel. Just a complete disgrace.
I don’t know both sides of he story or all the details but it sounds like the owners have done everything required to have their dogs back. Think of it as if those dogs where your children and how far you would go to protect them.
If this was me and my dogs in this position I would do anything to protect them. (ANYTHING)
Please free the dogs.
So not rite poor dogs
I disagree that these two dogs be put down. Frankston Council is too quick and not very understanding about dogs for some reason. These dogs did not attack a person. The cat owner should be responsible and keep their animal indoors. Please give these poor people a break and return their beloved dogs, it is not the dogs fault that they were out, if you have to punish someone, punish the owners, stop punishing the pets all the time, it is not their fault.
HAVE A HEART FRANKSTON COUNCIL – try not to be so harsh all the time.
I am absolutely disgusted that the Frankston Council is so determined to kill these 2 dogs that killed a cat. To punish the dogs for killing the cat, the council is now going to kill the dogs? This is ridiculous. Yes I’d be distraught if it were my cat that had been killed but it doesn’t mean the dogs should be put down and it certainly doesn’t mean that they would ever kill a child or an adult. It’s nature, as horrible as it is, that happens. Animals do kill each other! There is no reason why the council couldn’t have issued a warning. The only reason it’s doing this is to cause trouble. Everyone knows the Peninsula councils hate dogs. This certainly proves it.
They have angered a huge number of people over this issue!
Do cats get put down for killing birds and mice.. Its just an animal instinct and a mistake unknown to the animal.. These dogs are family pets, that are loved and well looked after.. have no record of being agressive or dangerous towards children.. Unfortunately sometimes it happens that they mistakenly manage to get out of their premisses.. many dogs get lost this way and the lucky ones are happily returned home.. Should you put these dogs down, it should be put down has a criminal act and animal abuse.. and not a highly humane or intelligent decision.. Nor can your Council be recognised to be educated enough with working with animals in a chosen field.. taking a life is not just like filing a piece of paper and then your job is done.. its something you live with for the rest of your life.. regardless of what life it is.. And why havent these animals even been given a secound chance.. This is so wrong.. I plead and pray that you please do the right thing for all concerned, and return these pets back to their family.. thank you..