Dog Laws On A Tight Leash

[samoyedman]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/dog-laws-across-nsw-are-on-a-tight-leash/story-fni0cx12-1226693874095

THE state's justice system is all bark and no bite when it comes to punishing the owners of killer dogs, with no one jailed under the Companion Animals Act in five years.

More than 90 per cent of 1158 people convicted under the Act from 2008 to 2012 walked away with fines.

The courts are largely hamstrung by toothless laws that prohibit magistrates handing out jail sentences for most offenders. Under the Act only owners of dogs already declared dangerous by council rangers can be sent to prison and even then the maximum sentence is two years.

By comparison, someone convicted of defacing a wall with graffiti can be sent to jail for up to a year.

Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research data shows that even the owner of a declared dangerous dog, who ordered his dog to attack a victim, was only fined when convicted in 2010.

The paltry punishments - a far cry from proposed law changes in the UK where owners could face life in jail if their dog is involved in a fatal mauling - have infuriated dog attack victims who say owners need to be held responsible.

Renee Blakemore's beloved pugs Tattie and Spud were killed by three Staffordshire bull terriers in May.

The Hunter Valley woman yesterday said she was sickened by the state's lax laws.

"It has ripped us apart. They were our little babies," a tearful Ms Blakemore said.

"We don't have children, we only had the dogs and they were our lives. We need tougher penalties for these people - they need to take responsibility for what happens."

The bull terriers, which had attacked other animals in the neighbourhood, escaped from a nearby yard and jumped Ms Blakemore's fence, yet their owner was fined just $550 for each of the dogs involved.

"Our dogs were in our backyard. They were registered, desexed and microchipped and they were helpless," Ms Blakemore said.She and husband Dustin had to take out a loan for the $8000-plus vet bills, trying in vain to save Spud. He died five days after the attack.

The Companion Animals Taskforce report on proposed changes to legislation was lodged earlier this year but chairman and Charlestown MP Andrew Cornwall said it was taking time to process the 5000-plus submissions.

However, the mauling death of Deniliquin toddler Deeon Higgins on Sunday had forced the matter to be expedited.

"The department is doing everything it can to bring these changes as quickly as possible," Mr Cornwall said.

"Public consultation finished only a matter of weeks ago but I think it's important that the department works as fast as it possibly can to get something for Cabinet to take a look at."

Local Government Minister Don Page's spokesman said the government was "committed" to toughening up laws.

"Community concern about the adequacy of current penalties for owners whose dogs have attacked are being taken into account by the government in finalising its response to the taskforce," he said.

He added that in the most serious cases, police had the option under the Crimes Act of pursuing charges of causing a dog to inflict grievous bodily harm, which carried a maximum 10 years jail.

"The minister believes the current penalties in the Act are not in line with community expectations," he said.

[Little Gifts]

And again, where is the RSPCA in all this? Why is it not the peak body demanding tougher sentences on owners whose dogs attack and kill? After all it is the dogs who attack pay the ultimate price with their lives. Surely that is also cruelty if an owner knows the risks their dogs pose and still lets it happen????

[sandgrubber]

I hope lots of DOLers from NSW will share their opinions with their representatives on this. Change is long overdue...not just in NSW.

[~Anne~]

Again, it's Murdoch's trashy rag. (Insert rolling eye emoticon).

The Daily Telegraph and its 'journailists', and i use that term very loosely, shouldn't be taken seriously. His papers are best used as for starters.

[tdierikx]

Love how their "Muzzle the Mutts" campaign doesn't have a webpage or any right of reply to any of the articles they are putting out. Absolutely no option for frank and open discussion about the topic at all.

T.

[dogbesotted]

More paper does not equate to better dog laws. The sentances do not reflect community expectations that is the magistrate/judges responsibility

H

Edited August 8, 2013 by dogbesotted

[Rosetta]

According to the article - the laws only allow for certain maximum sentences so the magistrates can only impose whats legislated. The four steps look reasonable to me. That story about the little pugs being killed is heartbreaking - poor little dogs.

[tdierikx]

Better policing of current laws and tougher penalties for those who break them will be more effective than adding more laws and regulations that there is no-one to police anyways...

T.

[Steve]

Better policing of current laws and tougher penalties for those who break them will be more effective than adding more laws and regulations that there is no-one to police anyways...

T.

Yep thats it .