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Thanks JRG

Hi all. My daughter will be getting a puppy in a week or so and I was seeking recommendations for a good vet for her. She lives in Braybrook, Melbourne, so around that general area would be great. We have always lived in Canberra, so have no experience of vets in Vic at all, so if I can send her to someone decent right from the outset, it would be a good comfort to us both. As an offset from this request, if you are able to advise of any vets to avoid, that would also be useful. Happy for that info to be PM'd if you don't want to put it on a public forum. Thanks in advance

I'd be pretty chuffed to get a bill like that for emergency treatment, particularly when it involved sedation as well. Not much choice here in Canberra for emergency treatment.

I don't know if it's an updated news article now, but the video in that link included a neighbour saying they had roamed and attacked before and the reporter also mentions that neighbours had previously reported the dogs. Very sad for all involved.

Roaming dogs - no indication in the story there was anything preceding the attack. Owner went to assist and was also injured. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-29/woman-dead-in-dog-attack-on-nsw-south-coast/12100630

No restrictions on them in the ACT, and while all dogs are meant to be desexed, we all know how little use the law is without it being enforced. It is also possible to apply for a permit to keep a sexually entire dog. I'm not saying people are breeding then en masse in the ACT and then exporting them, just that there are plenty of them here.

Sounds like a very responsible owner. (The parents of the child not so much. Despite being a very competent swimmer, panic changes everything) http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/hero-rottweiler-basil-saves-girl-who-fell-into-lake-burley-griffin-at-kingston-foreshore-20180217-h0w8p6.html Jarrad Houghton shudders to think what might have happened had he not let his dog Basil investigate a splash in the water at the Kingston Foreshore on Friday evening. He was walking his faithful rottweiler through the busy restaurant strip of the foreshore when the dog heard a splash in the adjacent waters of Lake Burley Griffin and "insisted on checking it out". SHARE O Jarrad Houghton with his dog Basil came to the rescue of a child that fell into the lake at Kingston Foreshore. Photo: Dion Georgopoulos What they saw next, chilled Jarrad to the bone. "We got close to the water's edge to see a little hand sticking out of the water," he said. " quickly reached down and the hand was attached to a [eight]-year-old girl." Jarrad quickly pulled the girl out, and returned her to her parents who were inside at a nearby restaurant. No one else had noticed her go in. "She was a little shaken and sopping wet, but otherwise fine," he said. Jarrad posted the story on the Canberra Notice Board Group Facebook page on Friday night. Some people were quick to condemn the parents but Jarrad said it was just a case "of kids being kids". The little girl had apparently been playing a game of balance on the edge of the boardwalk when she slipped in. Jarrad said he didn't see her go in. It was the insistence of 10-month-old Basil that made him walk down to the boardwalk and the water's edge. "She was really struggling," Jarrad said. "I liken it to a cat scrambling to get out. I still get goosebumps thinking about what might have happened if Basil had not been there with me." The family of the rescued girl, who did not wish to be named, offered their sincere thanks to Jarrad and Basil. "She is a very competent swimmer or we would not have allowed her anywhere near the water," the mother said. "We have, in fact, talked to her about the places that you can get out if ever you fall in. Because she is very much an active kid and risk taker, we make sure we have these conversations. "She would have been okay. That said, we are very thankful to Jarrad and his doggy who got her out quickly." Jarrad said the reason he posted the story was not to draw attention to himself or Basil or the parents, but to remind people that rottweilers got a bad rap, particularly in movies like The Omen. But like many so-called "scary" breeds, rottweilers were loving and faithful dogs if they were treated properly. "Next time you see my 'scary' rotti on our walk, just remember, he saved someone's life and daughter tonight." he wrote on the post Jarrad had grown up around rottweilers since he was six. He always approached any dog with caution. But he believed dogs should not be condemned because of their breed or how they were portrayed in a movie. "I'm a very firm believer it's the environment they grow up in; the breed doesn't matter," he said. "Basil is like any dog that has been loved and care for. Big or small; greyhound or German shepherd, my approach is a firm and loving hand." Basil - who was deliberately named after the character in Fawlty Towers to disarm people and get them comfortable - got a special treat and brush on Friday night. "He eats duck and salmon and all kinds of things. I think I spend more food on me than on myself," Jarrad said. Jarrad was blown away by the support from people on the page, many rottweiler owners who agreed with his sentiments. He followed it up with a post saying he would be back at the foreshore on Saturday evening. "Come and say hello with a new-found respect for my loving dogs who just so happen to be called rottweilers," he said. The story was the ultimate antidote to recent dog attacks in Canberra. "I just wanted to combat some of the negative press," Jarrad. "I would hate for someone to ring up and complain about a dog because they didn't like the breed based on what they had seen in a movie."

Gorgeous long legs!

Update : DPP are seeking a custodial sentence for this matter. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-08/canberra-man-animal-neglect-sentencing-hearing/7149986?WT.ac=statenews_act Man guilty of 99 animal neglect charges kept dogs emaciated and fly-bitten, court hears A man who pleaded guilty to nearly 100 charges of animal neglect kept dogs emaciated and fly-bitten, RSPCA vets have told the ACT Magistrates Court. Stefan Trpcevski last week pleaded guilty to 99 charges relating to animal neglect, and a sentencing hearing was held this afternoon. The charges included failing to seek veterinary treatment for dogs and failing to provide animals with food or water. It is understood he had 25 dogs, although the charges related to only seven animals. Vets Lillian Wong and Ashley Jordan gave evidence regarding five dogs brought to them in December 2014 while they were working with the RSPCA in Canberra. They told the court some of the dogs were severely underweight, some were fly-bitten around the ears, and one appeared to have had part of its tail amputated. The tail was still bleeding when the dog was presented to Ms Wong, who described it as a "traumatic amputation of some sort". "It would have been very painful," she said. In cross-examination, Trpcevski's lawyer questioned whether the tail injury could have been caused by a spider bite. The matter was adjourned while a pre-sentence report is prepared, and will return to court for sentencing in late March. Prosecutors have indicated they will seek a term of imprisonment. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/dogs-found-at-canberra-house-were-underfed-and-suffered-hair-loss-fly-bites-20160208-gmokvs.html Dogs found at Canberra house were underfed and suffered hair loss, fly bites Date February 8, 2016 - 11:30PM 26 reading now Dogs that belonged to a Canberra man who admitted to nearly 100 animal mistreatment offences were underweight, underfed and suffered hair loss and fly bites that had scabbed over, a court has heard. Stefan Trpcevski, 35, has pleaded guilty to 99 charges related to animal mistreatment and neglect and is currently before the ACT Magistrates Court. Authorities previously said they found 27 dogs in varying states of neglect when they raided two properties in Macquarie and Ainslie late in 2013. Trpcevski was charged with numerous offences ranging from failing to provide animals with adequate food and water to failing to seek veterinary treatment and keeping unregistered dogs. Vets at the RSPCA shelter in Weston, who assessed several animals seized from the Ainslie home at the time, spoke of the animals' poor health during a sentencing hearing on Monday. Former RSPCA vet Ashley Jordan told the court one of the dogs, "Bindy", was underweight, suffered hair loss and had fly bites and scabs on her head. He said the dog was assessed as a three out of nine on the body condition scoring chart used to calculate body fat levels, with one being emaciated and nine being obese, and the likely reason for her low weight was that she had been underfed. Under cross-examination, Dr Jordan said while it would be possible for the dog to be bitten several times without an owner noticing, it shouldn't be difficult to prevent ongoing fly bites before they got that severe. The court heard vets assessed another male crossbreed dog as one, or emaciated, on the body condition scoring chart, as the animal's hip bones and spine were clearly visible. Prosecutor Katrina McKenzie told the court the "unnecessary pain" caused to the animals in Trpcevski's care was such that a term of imprisonment should be imposed. She said Trpcevski's offending "must be close to one of the worst cases" of its type. Trpcevski's defence lawyer told the court her client suffered from debilitating mental illness, which impaired his judgment, and he had been receiving help from ACT Mental Health. Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker ordered a pre-sentence report be prepared before the matter returns to court for sentencing in March.

Great story. Love the wooden boxes they provide.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2015/11/04/dog-wombat-rescue_n_8476026.html?ncid=edlinkauhpmg00000004 Rescue Mission For Dog Stuck In Wombat Hole Posted: 05/11/2015 15:46 AEST Updated: 05/11/2015 15:46 AEST A "Beaconsfield style" rescue mission is currently underway to extricate a large dog stuck underground in a wombat hole on the NSW south coast. Nowra newspaper The South Coast Register reports a 42-kilogram American Bulldog named Brooklyn has been wedged in a large wombat hole near the town's showground since 1am Wednesday. The dog, owned by a homeless man who reportedly lives in a tent at the showground, was said to have chased a wombat down the hole and gotten stuck several metres below ground. Separate rescue attempts were staged early Wednesday morning, through the day on Wednesday and again on Thursday. NSW Ambulance, State Emergency Service, police, council workers and local animal rescue groups have all combined in a rescue effort, but so far to no avail despite using jackhammers. Brooklyn is thought to be about four metres underground, after scurrying into a long deep burrow. Register journalist Jessica Long has been reporting dutifully from the scene, live-Tweeting rescue attempts and providing video. Rescuers had become concerned for the dog's safety after it reportedly stopped barking earlier on Thursday morning, but Lindsay Francis of Wildlife Rescue South Coast -- on scene as part of the rescue -- said the dog had been confirmed as still alive a short time ago. "We can hear him barking so he's still alive. We think he’s gone in the burrow and turned, so we're digging straight down," he told The Huffington Post Australia. "We think he’s underground about three or four metres. We believe he’s stuck in there, got his back stuck in and can't push with his back legs." Francis said responders were attempting a "Beaconsfield" rescue, in reference to the Beaconsfield mine collapse in Tasmania where trapped miners Brant Webb and Todd Russell were freed after rescue tunnels were dug to reach them. "We're digging a vertical hole. We'll come on to or close to him," he said. There are also fears for the wombat Brooklyn chased into the hole, which has also been stuck in the burrow for two days with no water or food.

This is a good result - Courts in the ACT are generally very lenient http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/man-failed-to-get-help-for-dog-after-cooking-oil-caused-horrendous-burns-20150925-gjurwk.html They're images harrowing enough to move Canberrans to tears, prosecutors say. "Buster", a cross-breed, was left without veterinary attention after being covered in scalding cooking oil earlier this year, causing first and third degree burns to 15 per cent of his body. The owner said the burns were not caused intentionally and that he hadn't realised the extent of the injuries, but pleaded guilty to failing to seek help for the animal in the ACT Magistrates Court. The distress of the animal was first noticed when police were at the home for unrelated offences. Buster was heard whimpering, and the RSPCA was notified. It is not known how long the dog had been left in such a condition, but the court found its pain would have been obvious to anyone. When RSPCA inspectors arrived, the owner, Paul Muell, 20, met them at the door with a baseball bat, after hearing someone on his balcony. He later drunkenly called senior inspector Catherine Croatto to demand the animal back and tell her he would be seeing her around, stating he didn't make threats, only promises. Prosecutor Anthony Williamson, in pushing for a sentence of imprisonment, said there must be repercussions for such acts. "People care strongly about animals, in my submission, and a lot of reasonable, temperate members of the community would be appalled, and would be moved to tears upon seeing these images," he said on Friday. Mr Williamson asked rhetorically: "If this doesn't warrant imprisonment, what would?" Magistrate Lorraine Walker sentenced Muell to one year and 10 months imprisonment for failing to seek veterinary attention, common assault, threatening the RSPCA inspector, and an unrelated burglary and theft. An 11-month non-parole period was set, meaning Muell will be eligible for release in May. Buster, who was not taken to the vets after hot cooking oil caused first and third degree burns to 15 per cent of his body. Ms Walker said anyone would have realised that hot oil spilling on a living being would have caused "great pain", and would require attention. She said that there were options for help available, even if Muell couldn't afford vet bills. "The way that a community treats its most vulnerable, including animals, is a reflection on the community as a whole," Ms Walker said. The court heard Muell had a troubled and traumatic childhood. He also lost his mother at an early age, leaving him without either parent. Ms Walker said she had no doubt Muell was scarred by his childhood, and had reason to be angry. His lawyer told the court Muell had openly wept when he had seen the images of his dog's injuries. Ms Walker accepted he was genuinely remorseful. In a statement to Fairfax Media, Ms Croatto said the injuries Buster sustained were "horrendous". "When I first saw him, he was cowering, whimpering, unable to weight bear and in so much pain," she said. "It was truly distressing and difficult to comprehend how much this dog endured before we were able to rescue him." RSPCA chief executive Tammy Ven Dange said she was frustrated that offenders' pasts were continually being used as excuses for harming helpless animals. "These pets are fully dependant on their owners for their well-being, and to allow an animal to suffer like this is appalling," she said. "We are even more frustrated by the fact that this case sentencing seemed to justify the offender's actions because of something unrelated that happened to him in his childhood." She said she was increasingly concerned about the safety of RSPCA inspectors, and called for tougher penalties in animal cruelty cases like Buster's. "In order for this change, not only do we need for the magistrates to apply the law to its maximum potential, we need help from our lawmakers to give them greater penalties to work with for cases like this." Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/man-failed-to-get-help-for-dog-after-cooking-oil-caused-horrendous-burns-20150925-gjurwk.html#ixzz3n5ouRQnE Follow us: @canberratimes on Twitter | CanberraTimes on Facebook

Here's the link to the legislation http://www.legislation.act.gov.au/di/2015-257/current/pdf/2015-257.pdf

Oops - Sorry. Didn't see it in my quick look. It's nice enough to read a second time :)

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/lost-dog-reunited-with-owners-after-recognising-them-on-tv-20150912-gjkz8h.html Lost dog reunited with owners after recognising them on TV DateSeptember 12, 2015 Lost and Found: Tabitha returns to her family. Lost and Found: Tabitha returns to her family. Photo: Kelly Schaefer She is small, white and fluffy and a dab hand at recognising the people she loves most. Tabitha, a five-year-old bichon poodle, went for a walk with her owner Alfred Schaefer on September 2 near their home in Kansas City, Missouri. Schaefer, who has Alzheimer's, did not return for some time and his wife, Kelly Schaefer, went looking for the pair. She found her husband but not Tabitha, who remained missing for a week. Tabitha was taken in by a family who wanted to track her owners down but had no luck until they turned on the TV and saw a report by Fox4 news reporter Judy Le. Advertisement Le's story featured the Schaefers and their search for Tabitha. As soon as the poodle saw her owners onscreen she reportedly "perked up" her head. "FOX 4 immediately received a call from the person who found her. She says Tabitha perked up when Kelly and Alfred appeared in the story," the station reports. "The woman realised the dog's name was Tabitha by the way she responded." The Schaefers, who had printed nearly 300 flyers and stuck them on posts, walls and shopfronts near their home, were quickly reunited with Tabitha. Kelly Schaefer said Tabitha was a soothing influence for Alfred and inspired him to keep active. "To me, she's my kid. I love her as much as I love my husband, my boys," she told FOX 4. Expect a Disney film based on Tabitha's story in the immediate future. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/lost-dog-reunited-with-owners-after-recognising-them-on-tv-20150912-gjkz8h.html#ixzz3mQJN2piN Follow us: @smh on Twitter | sydneymorningherald on Facebook