Charlie, Sharni (front) and a family friend (back)…
UPDATE – the case of Charlie and Sharni has now been reviewed by Frankston City Council.City officials have decided that despite the enormous community backlash, and their original effort to kill the dogs being rejected by the Supreme Court, that the City is still going to proceed with the murder of Charlie and Sharni.The family of these dogs is understandably distraught. They have fought a tough fight for their pets, investing thousands of dollars in trying to save their lives. Unfortunately, in this instance the law is an ass and the Frankston City Council is without heart or mercy.Our thoughts are with Shannon and her family at this terrible time. |
Reprint article: first published in March 2014
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.
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.
Well, what can I say. I am understandably in disbelief to comprehend the decision that had been made in this case. It is clear that these dogs are not dangerous. They have done what most dogs so. Just like how cats kill mice. This decision is completely wrong and should reverse. Let the dogs go back to their loving home for goodness sake and stop being playing god. I am sure you must gave some real life crime dramas that are far more important to settle. Do the right thing. Let the dogs live… Send them home.
NO!!!! DO NOT KILL THESE BEAUTIES!!!! STOP THE KILLING OF ALL ANIMALS!!!!!
This is horrible what you plan to do to these two dogs. All dogs have a natural instinct to chase cats or anything for that matter that runs. Our dogs did the same to our neighbours cat in our yard. Did we feel bad? Of course. Paid a large part of the vet bill even though the cat was in our yard. Our dogs have never been raised with cats and when they see one, the chase is on. We don’t allow them out of our yard without leashes any more for that very reason. Putting the dogs to death for this is so stupid. They did what dogs do. They got out by accident and now you think they should die! Stupid, stupid, stupid! Shame on YOU!
Come on Frankston Council, show some compassion. These animals have suffered enough being separated from each other and their family. The owner’s have an environment prepared for their dogs which will ensure they will be safely kept. Why is it that killing of animals is so easily done and yet humans who take lives of anything living no matter how obscene or gruesome are never killed. They are worse than any animal on this planet and yet they never receive death. Do you Frankston Council take into account the distress and psychological damage you have and will further cause if you take the lives of these animals. Most people who would love a dog enough to fight for its survival see their dogs as part of their family, i.e. another member like a child. Has any one person on the Council even tried to imagine what this family will go through if you kill/murder their dogs. Do any of you have a dog, that could, might, possibly do something like this and you would happily kill it and not suffer from the death. If there is not one person who is a pet owner then your judgement is biased, made without empathy or understanding and therefore is not justified.
If the Supreme Court has rejected your application to have these dogs killed how can you act knowing it is against the law.
If you can act outside the law and commit crimes such as killing dogs, where will you go next. Is Frankston City Council more like an illegal gang of hoodlums who do what they want and how they want.
SHAME ON YOU…. and it is sad the whole board who think they can kill a dog have not been ousted from Council as what the hell will you do next outside of the Law of Victoria.
Once again VICTORIAN COUNCILS prove THEMSELVES to be TOTALLY void of common sense or compassion.
So a COURT OF LAW HAS NO SAY!
Hope they get their butts sued off!
How heartbreaking for everyone and the defenceless dogs as well…
How I loathe the local councils and there warped insensitive and cruel bloody supposed laws..
I am so upset for everyone ..
The law is an ass….
Can’t BAWP help?
This decision is totally unjustifiable The owner has done what is required and has had the dogs assessed and the yard enclosures fortified. Is the Frankston council also going to impound every cat that chases and kills birds and lizards and destroy them as they will be required to for this action is setting that precident.
Do the right thing Frankston Council and give these dogs back to their family
Get a judge to order a stay of execution then have the Council in court, they might like to THINK they are above the law so show them they are not!
What’s the point of killing the dogs. Killing these dogs will not bring back a cat. It is the nature of dogs to run after a cat or other small creature. These dogs are not serial killers. Council members need to do a compassion check-where are their souls?
I cannot believe what I am reading. This poor family and those poor dogs. I am actually disgusted with the Frankston council.
This family have done everything to prove these dogs are not aggressive, the yard is secure, they have had a vet assess the dogs and the temperament test was fine, yet why is this still happening?
Is the council and the Lost Dogs Home trying to say that these dogs are human aggressive? Why isn’t the huge Government funded shelter the Lost Dogs Home doing anything to try and save these dogs?I am disgusted and appalled at both Council and LDH. These dogs should be with their loving family. How dare you?
My heart aches for this family and the dogs.
Hope we can fight for these dogs.
They say one picture is worth a 1000 words…just look again and realize they are not a threat.
Please do not destroy these family pets…it is not right. Apparently, these laws are made by heartless and stupid people with no compassion or understanding and they get paid for this. What a disgrace.
This is not justice its eye for an eye, they should be freed immediately if they have to be broken out.
Please do not kill these dogs. It is not right to do so. This family has done so much to keep them that they do not have any money left. These dogs are their family. Please do not kill them. They killed 1 animal but they should not be sentence to death. All these pictures shown that these dogs are not killers. Please have mercy on this family and give them back their animals.
We don’t kill humans for killing humans!?! Apart from that are they sure it was these two that killed the cat? Next point: I thought cats weren’t supposed to roam! Next point: DOESNT THE COUNCIL WORK FOR THE MEMBERS OF ITS SHIRE? IF THEY OBJECT SURELY THE COUNCIL SHOULD ACCEPT THAT.
I can’t believe I’m reading this. It’s just glad I have my two babies depending on me or I think I’d just resile from the human race. Had it.
Typical of government at all levels… They don’t listen.
Ok Council guys – you’ve declared them dangerous dogs so you get your extra council fees for registering them as such. The family has bent over backwards to save their animals – surely you can see after having them locked up for months that they are not dangerous??
Please reconsider.
Do Not kill these dogs. I know an elderly lady who was walking in her neighborhood and almost mauled by a dog, due to quick thinking people she wasn’t, the owners of said dog took it back inside and did not assist. All the council did was fine them $800. It will be an absolute disgrace if these guys lose their dogs, especially considering how much time, effort and expense they have put in. They obviously care tremendously. The powers that be need to take their blinkers off and reconsider the bigger picture!!
What about the family whose cat was torn apart and killed? I certainly wouldn’t want to be living around dogs who escape and kill small animals. All dogs should be put down who do this sort of thing. For once I’m on the side of the council.
I agree. What people havent been told is that this family had been warned for months by Frankston council about their fence falling down and their dogs getting out, but they completly ignored the council and didnt bother to fix the fence. Its amazing how quickly they managed to fix the fence when their dogs killed a cat. Yes it is very natural for a dog, especially dogs in a group to kill cats. Thats why the council have laws in place that state dogs must be confined. These people were careless and cared about the community less than they cared about their dogs. Its a pity that these dogs had such selfish owners who dont give a stuff about common sense or maybe they wouldnt be on death row today. If you want someone to blame, then blame the careless owners.
I think the State of Victoria needs to rally at Frankston Council. Save the dogs!
You can’t be serious, hasn’t the council woken up to the fact that these dogs are not dangerous??? What will they achieve by killing them….. Destroying beloved family pets, gee, I hope the council personnel feel real good about themselves now, all you are doing is confirming to the public that all you ever want to do us kill as many animals as you can!!! No wonder we are loosing faith in your judgement and no longer trust you! This is a disgraceful, disgusting and disappointing decision and should be changed immediately. SHAME ON YOU let these beautiful family pets go home to their beloved family.
This is ridiculous and inhumane. if the owner of the cat had kept it indoors it wouldn’t have happened. I love cats but to put two dogs to sleep for killing one is beyond stupid. Most cats can get away from dogs as they are nimble enough to jump up and out of the way.My cat torments my dogs but they play together.There is a cat that comes and torments the dogs though by sitting on the fence and just watching them. Victoria is the state where the Blacktown killing place is though I believe so shame on you Victoria
OMG this is ridiculous and totally insane! They were only doing what comes naturally to a dog…they did not do it out of spite or nastiness or for revenge. It is really sad that the cat was killed but I have just one question….was the cat on it’s own property when it was attacked and killed or was it roaming the streets? There seems to be one rule for dogs and one rule for cats in most council areas. I know this is true in Brisbane where I live. The council states that cats must be contained on their own property, but they rarely are and the council does nothing to enforce the law!
This family have done absolutely everything asked of them to safely contain their dogs. What the Frankston Council is doing is absolutely pathetic and it sounds more like a money making exercise than anything else.
How much of taxpayers money have the Frankston Council spent so far? And now they are going to disobey a Supreme Court order. When will councils start seeing sense (Brimbank is another example) and do what is right by allowing these dogs to go home?
I also thought it was illegal in Vic.for cat’s to be loose, I feel very sorry for the owners of the cat and the dogs, obviously both were in the wrong as they were all out of their yards. Is there a law in regards to a dog killing a cat or a cat killing a blue tongued lizard or a dog or another cat ?? Silly questions I know or is there some competition going on between all our councils to see who can kill the most animals?,
I think Frankston Council should be held to account by the rate payers in that area, havn’t they got better things to do with people’s hard earned money.. Let these dogs go home where they belong and stop torturing them and their family…I agree “SHAME” on you…
What rubbish. Cats are out killing animals all the time and aren’t killed for it themselves. Nobody thinks that that makes them dangerous to be around humans. How the heck is a dog to know that the cat was somebody’s pet?
When I was a kid my dog killed a cat. I felt awful for the people whose cat she was and my parents immediately reinforced all of the fencing in the yard but nobody ever thought it was my dog’s fault or that it somehow made him unsafe to be around little kids – that would have been illogical. My family should have been more careful not to let our dog out and the cat’s family should have been more careful not to let their cat out.
Frankston Council, You are a disgrace
$$ means dogs live…ie owners not rich enough to contest, dogs die.
Council wastes my rate $$ on this.
Ludicrous…
Sack council now.
Employ councillors with heart.
Wake up residents
Your dog is next!!!!
Councils are a law unto their own hands they should be strung up they are breaking the law
Frankston Council are like every council in Victoria.
If they get their way their will be no animals at all in Victoria.
They attack owners like this, respectable breeders, pensioners, and the list goes on.
We pay yearly animal registration for what…NOTHING……was the cat that was killed on its own property, was it registered, was it desexed…..accidents happen. My god if we were all killed for one mistake
Get over it local councils. Be realistic and compassionate. Look at the whole issue. Shannon has gone above and beyond to do what is right and you throw it all in her face.
Animals teach our children responsibility and care……
It wasn’t stated if there was proof of them killing the cat? What if they just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? After reading this story my heart aches and goes out to the family I can’t imagine losing any of my babies. This is unfair judgment, the family has gone through so much to ensure it won’t happen again have given up so much just to get their fur-babies home and for what? The council to not give it a second look? To act like complete and utter assholes? Power is something humans abuse, is this what we want our children growing up around? To act like? No, think how you would feel in this situation. You can clearly see they are willing to give up the world for these animals, that should be enough to show they wouldn’t allow it to happen again. They wouldn’t want to go through this bullshit again. The animals have been deemed safe why not just let them go home where they are loved. They have had enough punishment as it is.
Aren’t cats supposed to have a 24hour curfew? Cat owners
fault too! poor doggies :(
Uneducated thugs given a bit of power. Shame on them. Lets hope they never sleep again peacefully
It’s not the dogs fault, it’s the irresponsible owners. Save the dogs and find them a new home.
These dogs shouldn’t have been roaming, but accidents happen. They family have clearly understood that they need to be more responsible and have taken measures to ensure that this can never happen again.
Common sense should prevail here. These dogs are family members and they family is being tortured by this extreme action. Yes dog owners need to step up and be more responsible but one could argue that cat owners should be also. My cat is placed in a cat enclosure during the day so that she won’t be injured by cars or other animals. Cat owners also need to be more responsible. I am sorry for the family that lost their cat but I feel that we can all learn from this situation and be better owners. Let’s be sensible and work together on these issues. Give them another chance, they don’t deserve to die for this.
Seriously Frankston council? What’s the point in killing these dogs? They did not kill a human they killed a cat which honestly shouldn’t be out walking the street…I’ve seen birds killed by cats but do we go out killing all the cats because they killed a bird? Get over it & move on! Let these people have there babies back! You wouldn’t like it if you had to put your pets down so why put other people through the pain?
There are people out there that murder people and we don’t kill them?! What just because a dog can’t speak means they don’t have a right to live?
I just watched a video on Facebook about a guy that bashed a 9 month old baby to death and he only got 8 years in jail and gets bail after 4 years!! Pedophiles rape kids and get away with it! Police bash teenagers and the government look the other way!
If two dogs killing one cat affects you life then you should probably just kill yourself..
I think it’s time to wake up people!
So what happens to the cats when they kill all the native birds
So cats are aloud to kill but because the dogs killed 1 cat they have to get put down
That’s not right !!
I would advise for the family to get in touch with Brad Griggs who is an expert on dogs and has been on TV talking about laws like these and Brett Melke who is a lawyer who specialise in these laws…
This is absolutely ridiculous! Frankston, putting down TWO dogs as a result of them killing a cat?!?! Get your stuff together!!!
Bureacracy gone stark raving mad. It was a huge over-reaction to impose a death penalty on these poor dogs; I’m sure it was also very sad and traumatic for the owner of the poor cat, but the idea of a life (or TWO lives in this case) for a life is simply barbaric. And now we have the collective egomania of this council to deal with. Get over it, you idiots. It would be funny if it wasn’t so heartbreakingly sad for these poor creatures and their family. This sort of behaviour brutalises us all.
No this is not acceptable !
These dogs must not killed
I think there should be tougher rules for cats they just roam around breeding apreading disease esp in frankston nrth aids gettimg around there ferral cats everywhere killing our precious wildlife to survive cqts should be kept inside and to kill 2 dogs for 1 cat is horrible wheres the video proof ?
A fine surely but dogs should never be killed over a natural instinct !
ITS SAD ALREADY WITH ENOUGH LOSS DONT MAKE IT WORSE just cause these dogs were caught in the act you do realize now you are interfering with natures balance or maybe you think if you make an example of charlie and sharni all the other cat hating dogs out there will curb their ways!!!!
This is so wrong.. Most dogs have an instinct to chase & kill cats, this should not be a death sentence..