Dog Lovers Rally In Defence Of A Breed Of Their Own

[lmwvic]

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/dog-lovers-rally-in-defence-of-a-breed-of-their-own-20111020-1ma99.html

Dog lovers rally in defence of a breed of their own

Stathi Paxinos

October 21, 2011

Veterinarian Karen Davies, with Sonny, a registered pit bull, dislikes breed-specific laws. Photo: Jason South

JUST days after the Victorian government ended its amnesty on unregistered restricted-breed dogs, Point Cook veterinarian Karen Davies did something that hurt her more than anything else in her career.

Her two decades as a vet has included a stint in the emotionally draining area of working with shelter animals.

But earlier this month, she put down a healthy and seemingly well-adjusted dog because of the way it looked.

Haunted by the experience, she posted an entry on her clinic's Facebook page, which read in part:

''Today for the first time in 20 years I am questioning if I still want to do this job. My staff and I are all in tears after having to put down our first pit bull under the new legislation.

''He had been dumped, by an owner who had put in the time for this magnificent dog to be friendly to all, shake hands and worse still licked my face with kisses as he passed … to the unknown dog that now sleeps in the arms of my staff with our tears, may life make you look different next time because in this life that was your only flaw.''

The comments were picked up online and posted on online discussion groups and Dr Davies has now been propelled into the front line of those fighting breed-specific legislation at rallies in Melbourne and Sydney tomorrow.

She will be a speaker at the rally that will start at Federation Square and march to Parliament House to protest against the method of the crackdown on restricted breeds.

Council officers are now able to use visual guidelines to seize and possibly put down a dog that looks like an American pit bull terrier or a cross if it has not been registered as a restricted breed.

This has led to people dumping dogs on the street or at veterinary clinics, rather than complying with the requirements.

''Putting to sleep a perfectly healthy animal that would fit into any happy home for no reason other than he had a label on him because of his looks was dreadful,'' she said.

Dr Davies and rally organisers believe that dangerous dogs of any breed should be destroyed.

But they point to countries, such as the Netherlands and Italy, which have repealed breed-specific legislation, to argue that the current approach does not reduce dog attacks.

In Victoria there are five types of dogs classified as restricted breeds, but dog trainer Brad Griggs, who has helped organise the Melbourne rally, said there was no science to back such policies.

Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh said yesterday the government had been pleased with the way the regulations had been received, helping raise awareness in the community.

''My view is there has been overwhelming support for what we've done with the restricted-breed dogs,'' he said.

''People want to feel safe in their community from those particular types of dogs, and we have done that.''

He was not able to provide the number of dogs that had been surrendered, impounded or destroyed, or how many were subject to an appeal. ''It would be a number of weeks before the first lot of statistics come through,'' he said.

The Lost Dogs Home's managing director, Graeme Smith, said he ''fully supports'' the government's move.

''I'm not going to stand by and see dogs kill other animals or people,'' Dr Smith said.

''I'm strong on it, and I won't [kowtow to] people who are trying to wreck the government's initiatives.''