Calls flood on new dog law

By Danielle Galvin
CARDINIA Shire Council has been inundated with calls and inquiries from residents in the last two months since the change in dangerous dog laws.
In October, three residents were prosecuted in the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court for three separate dog attacks.
It comes just two weeks after the State Government announced a $10,000 grant for Cardinia Shire after the change in the Domestic Animals Act 1994.
“Brimbank, Cardinia and Banyule councils will receive $10,000 grants to respond to a large number of enquiries related specifically to the change in legislation,” Agriculture and Food Security Minister Peter Walsh said.
Cardinia Shire Council and the City of Casey are among the eight municipalities said to receive the most number of inquiries in the state.
In August, Minister Walsh announced a “crack down” on dangerous and restricted breed dogs following the death of a four-year-old girl in St Albans.
In the announcement on Tuesday 8 November, Mr Walsh said the change in legislation had put added pressure on councils.
“Victoria’s councils have received thousands of telephone calls since new legislation was introduced to impose criminal penalties on owners of dangerous dogs who attack people and to end the amnesty for registration of pit bulls,” he said.
Cardinia Shire Council has prosecuted three residents since the change in legislation.
In one of the incidents, a resident was convicted and fined $2500 plus council costs after three dogs attacked another dog.
Two of the dogs involved in the attack had previously been labelled ‘menacing dogs’ by the council for their involvement in another incident.
The accused owners chose to have the ‘menacing dogs’ put down.
In a separate incident, one resident was fined $1000 and ordered to pay compensation.
In this attack, the council said the dog “rushed out” of the owner’s property and attacked the victim.
In the last incident, two dogs were chasing cattle on a neighbouring property when one of the dogs attacked causing serious injury to one of the cattle.
The owner was convicted and fined $1300 and ordered to pay the council’s costs.
The magistrate ordered that the dogs be kept securely in an enclosure on the owner’s property.
Paul Dunlop, a spokesperson for the council, welcomed the funding.
“Since the changes to the legislation were announced, there has been a major impact on council,” he said.
“In early September there was an average of 12 calls a day, several face-to-face visits at council and call outs from concerned residents.”
He said Cardinia Shire Council receives inquiries on a daily basis.
More information on dangerous dogs, restricted breed dogs and menacing dogs can be found on the council’s website.