A Scenic Rim Regional Council report in the Tamborine Mountain News last edition, under ‘Lifestyle’ discusses a spike in dog attacks which is troubling, it includes a toddler needing hospitalisation.
Nine dogs have been impounded, one euthanised.
I hope the owner is banned from getting another dog?
The cases involved properties that were unable to contain the dogs and pose a risk to the general public and other animals.
The Animal Management Act 2008 is 18 years old, even with the new amendments it is ineffective to protect the general public and animals.
Prevention is the key word, meaning intervention at an early stage rather than punishment in the form of increased fines for the dog owner and impounding or euthanasia for the dog after the deed.
Dogs are currently viewed and sold as chattels that are mostly traded online and by puppy farm or back yard breeders advertising, that needs to change, dogs are intelligent predators that can go ‘haywire’ if not managed.
Only registered and approved breeders or rescue centres ought to sell dogs.
Just last issue I researched the increasing number of dogs and cats being surrendered because of the expense and responsibility involved, and yet the most unsuitable person living in an inappropriate residence can get a dog.
What is needed is a dog owners permit before acquiring a dog.
Vehicle drivers need a license, proof of understanding road rules and vehicle registration before driving.
Dog owners need to understand dog language, behaviour and how to train the basics, their residence needs to be secure.
The Act recommends microchipping and registration, but according to the RSPCA 70 per cent of animals they receive have no microchip.
One large microchip company has stopped operating which means tens of thousands of pets are unidentifiable unless the owners transfer to another microchip company.
As for the number of dogs being unregistered with councils there is no estimate or publicly available data, but the trend is estimated that the number of unregistered dogs is equal to or greater than those registered.
Fines for unregistered dogs could help to fund dog management.
We dog owners need to keep in mind that all domestic dogs have wolf DNA, even our most gentle ‘fur babies’.
All dogs need some training and they need structure as pack animals.
There is a hierarchy, but it shouldn’t be tyrannical.
