Proposed New Victorian Dog Laws Dead Wrong

[mackiemad]

bumpity bump!

[Erny]

Thanks guys . Good to see people remain interested and concerned.

I have a letter that was one of the responses by an MP (referred to recently by Naturally Wild). The letter wasn't sent to me, but I've drafted up a response by using the powers of microsoft word ("comment" facility), which makes points to this MP's response, drawing attention to where the response is unsatisfactory.

I don't think that I will be able to post it here though, simply because all of the format is going to disappear.

So, if anyone has received this MP's letter (seems to be a 'standard' letter from the MP) and wants some help in working up a response, feel free to email me Pro-K9 and I'll send it through to you. Hope it works for you though - I use XP, so the comments I've made might be lost on another version of word.

I don't purport that my response is the best one as I know there are others working on their own, but I know that reading other people's words can help in the forming of individual letters and responses when words fail.

Won't be on this much today due to commitments but will be back to check in at some stage through the day and more so in the evening. Keep up the good work .

Cheers

Erny

Edited June 14, 2010 by Erny

[Casster17]

Bump Bump Bumpity Bump

[Erny]

Some of the stuff written in this piece of information, which is available on the internet to the public via the Parliamentary Library Research Service, leaves me a bit gobsmacked :

LINK TO 2010 Dangerous Dogs

This just being ONE of those things :

4. The Bill

The main purposes of the Bill are to amend the Domestic Animals Act 1994:

• To make further provision for the registration of restricted breed dogs and to amend the definition of a restricted breed dog; and
  
• To provide that the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal may review declarations of restricted breed dogs and to abolish review panels; and
  
• To increase penalties for certain offences; and
  
• To further enable the making of declarations of dangerous dogs and menacing dogs; and
  
• To provide further destructive powers for dogs to be destroyed.

Go on. Have a read. As boring and as laborious as it might be. Then ask yourself questions of how this new proposed Bill is supposed to make things better for the community.

Victoria - if you don't fight this now, then you invite it. If you invite it, you must want it. Lord only knows why.

Edited June 16, 2010 by Erny

[cavNrott]

I'll get busy writing again. I received three replies. Ted Baillieu replied promptly. The Libs seem more inclined to acknowledge and reply.

C'mon Victorians, start writing. If this goes through it will affect all dog owners in Victoria. What's to say other states will not follow suit if this was to go through.

Good work keeping us on the ball Erny.

[mita]

C'mon Victorians, start writing. If this goes through it will affect all dog owners in Victoria. What's to say other states will not follow suit if this was to go through.

Good work keeping us on the ball Erny.

I'd second both those comments. Well done, Erny. And this proposed law needs to stop at the border!

[Casster17]

hmm.... interesting reading.... So much legal bits I'm not sure what to think now...

what astounded me was that it claimed Dogs VIC agreeds with the new laws...

I guess I need to send more emails...

[Erny]

hmm.... interesting reading.... So much legal bits I'm not sure what to think now...

what astounded me was that it claimed Dogs VIC agreeds with the new laws...

I guess I need to send more emails...

And they do, which astounds me even more.

What also is horrible and irresponsible on the Government's part is that it seems to be using and ready to rely on a lot of media reports as a basis for passing laws.

Natural Justice and Procedural Fairness??

I think NOT.

And of course, under the guise of "addressing community needs and expectations" the Government have been soooooo concerned about us that they are going to increase the amount of their portion of registration fees that are collected by Council from those of us who ARE responsible pet owners.

Yet they try to indicate this law is not for the "responsible" .... it's to target the "irresponsible".

Yep. Gotcha. Really.

It is ALL ABOUT the responsible pet owners. One way or the other, WE will be the one's who pay - either through our pockets or at the expense of our dogs' lives. Or both.

Edited June 16, 2010 by Erny

[Erny]

Stay tuned.

I'm wondering if many of you realise exactly how serious and how bad these laws are.

I'm really running so short of time - I have put much of my own work (work that helps me to pay my own dog's very very expensive food bills) on the back burner, working on much of this. Stuff I really didn't set out to take on or head-up, but too important to not.

I need to re-read some stuff through, but there are some quite (more) alarming revelations to these laws that your Labor Government wants to bring in and I don't think enough people understand how it DOES and WILL affect your dogs.

Parliament sitting resumes on 22nd June. That's the beginning of next week.

MORE letters. SHOW them. I'm exhausting myself but those of you who haven't yet written, we need you. You need you. Your dog needs you.

[SE7EN]

Maybe it would help if someone with the writing skills made a document that people could simply put their name to and send?

I know I would send MANY of them, to as many as possible.

[Erny]

Maybe it would help if someone with the writing skills made a document that people could simply put their name to and send?

I know I would send MANY of them, to as many as possible.

I've already provided one or two short letter templates in this thread. (Refer Post #49 Page 4)

And I've also provided the link to the letters that short letter refers to. (Also Post #49 Page 4)

And I've also provided the link that provides all the names and email contacts for all the MLA's. (Also Post #49 Page 4)

And I've also put up one or two of my own letters, so people can use them to copy/relate to, to assist with formulating their own letters. (Refer Post #150 Page 10)

Appreciate the suggestion, SE7EN, but I'm not sure what more help I can provide? Although this thread has become quite lengthy, so I guess it would be easy enough for people to skim over and miss these.

Would be great if you and many more of you could contribute. Numbers. We need numbers.

Edited June 16, 2010 by Erny

[Erny]

I've emailed Luke Donnellan, my local MP, again. He was going to find out some "reasoning" from the Government, for this proposed Bill. But perhaps Parliament and his good self has been too busy, as I've not heard from him. Hopefully he'll be able to come back to me soon.

Edited June 16, 2010 by Erny

[mita]

what astounded me was that it claimed Dogs VIC agreeds with the new laws...

I guess I need to send more emails...

And they do, which astounds me even more.

Do they not know what likely means? As in the law giving an authorised person the go ahead to make a judgment on a dog if they think it might be likely to bite, attack, chase etc. That is a step towards stereotypes about non-banned breeds finding a place in law as likely dangerous.

That does not require an individual dog to actually DO anything.

[sumosmum]

what astounded me was that it claimed Dogs VIC agreeds with the new laws...

I guess I need to send more emails...

And they do, which astounds me even more.

Do they not know what likely means? As in the law giving an authorised person the go ahead to make a judgment on a dog if they think it might be likely to bite, attack, chase etc. That is a step towards stereotypes about non-banned breeds finding a place in law as likely dangerous.

That does not require an individual dog to actually DO anything.

That is correct Mita. Frightening isn't it?

And to think all of this power is going to be given to councils. Makes it even worse if you happen to live in a Lost Dogs Home Pound area too. They get so much wrong when they are meant to be working with the current laws. I hate to think what may happen with the scope they will have with these new laws.

I urge all dog owners in Victoria, in fact all states to read this link. Bad enough that this looks like Victoria will have this law, but some other states may follow. In the Brief, they have used media reports as reference and events in Queensland regarding BSL. They have tried to close small gaps that may have let innocent dogs escape the discrimination. So other states may be waiting to see what happens here. Don't know for sure, but it could be the case.

This is really important for our dogs and owners. Please read it, it isn't that hard and you will see how important and urgent this is. Please write to the MPs and ask questions, give you opinion. The Parliament sits again next Tuesday, 22 June 2010, it is not just going to go away. Without a big effort from everyone who cares about their rights and their pets, this will effect a lot of innocent people and pets with some very sad situations in the future.

Edited June 20, 2010 by sumosmum

[zayda_asher]

Stay tuned.

I'm wondering if many of you realise exactly how serious and how bad these laws are.

I'm really running so short of time - I have put much of my own work (work that helps me to pay my own dog's very very expensive food bills) on the back burner, working on much of this. Stuff I really didn't set out to take on or head-up, but too important to not.

Been there many times myself!! It is exhausting and doesn't bring the cash in! Just bare in mind that, just because people don't post, doesn't mean they aren't doing anything.. some people prefer to beaver along and not wast time posting

I've just sent this thread out to a bunch of people and updated a thread on the AmStaff forum... hopefully that gets you a few more letters...

[sumosmum]

Good job ZA, thank you.

[Erny]

Thanks ZA. I realise there may be more than what is represented in the "DOL poll" and to all those whom are working on it but aren't showing hands, good on you.

Thanks for helping to spread the word and encourage responses. If anything is going to work, that will. And hold on to those letters, everyone - as we may well need them when/if the matter goes to Upper House (round 2). At least party numbers in the Upper House are a bit more even.

[zayda_asher]

No problems!

I know it can be discouraging not to "see" results, I've been there myself with this stuff... So it is good to know that there are people out there that do contribute on the quiet

Oh and when I said "wast time posting" in that thread up there, I didn't mean to imply that anyone in here was wasting time, poorly chosen words in a rushed post!! Everyone is doing a fab job! for your hard work!

[Staranais]

Is there anything useful that can be done by someone living overseas? Will letters from foreigners be useful? If so, who can I write to? I don't know any Aussie politicians. Out of the loop, sorry.

Also, a suggestion, I've just come upon this thread (don't hang out in general that much) & although I've had a quick flick through I'm loath to read 18 pages (sorry!) Selfish but I suspect many other people may feel the same way, even if they live locally. Could anyone summarise the current state of affairs? Perhaps we could summarise & ask for it to be made a temporary sticky at the top, so it doesn't need bumping?

Thanks for putting in all this work, Erny. I don't live where you do, but restrictive dog laws always seem to spark copy cat laws in other countries, so in a way if these laws are passed this could affect us all.

In any case I certainly won't be applying for any jobs in Vic after I graduate if these laws pass! I know for a fact that if my girl somehow escaped the yard she would probably rush at any dog rangers she met (screaming happily and wagging her tail the whole way, of course). There is no way I'd risk moving to a place where she could be summarily killed for looking like she might rush at someone.

[zayda_asher]

Also, a suggestion, I've just come upon this thread (don't hang out in general that much) & although I've had a quick flick through I'm loath to read 18 pages (sorry!) Selfish but I suspect many other people may feel the same way, even if they live locally. Could anyone summarise the current state of affairs? Perhaps we could summarise & ask for it to be made a temporary sticky at the top, so it doesn't need bumping?

That's an excellent idea!