So Annoyed!

[Lasareina]

on a completely unrelated note. WTF is with voting in led pencil? Do we really trust people not to change them?

The Electoral Act specifies pencil. But you can use your own pen if you want to.

The level of scruitineering is meant to prevent changes to ballot papers. Apparently the rationale for pencil is that they can be sharpened whereas pens just run out. Or so the AEC says.

And I took my own mine pencil and eraser as I voted below the line in the senate - and the eraser was very handy!!!

I wish I had done that... I got to number 80 and still had 4 boxes left... But of an issue when you are only supposed to number to 82! I had go go all the way back through it and work out which numbers i missed *facepalm*

[Guest donatella]

You could be right. I lived in London and never had a problem with dogs, there was always more vomit on the pavement then dog shit lol. Actually I think Europe and USA have bigger fish to fry then dog laws.

[Christina]

I'm asking a question in relation to the people who have said some people already have no control of their dog in public, not singling anyone out in particular.

I doubt Australia will ever be as dog friendly as USA and Europe and I'm wondering why.

Perhaps other parts of the world actually enforce rules and laws around dogs? (just a suggestion, no actual evidence or anything nor time to look it up, but it is an interesting question)

No. They don't concern themselves much with dog laws & don't have anywhere near the trouble, fuss & complaints we have here in proportion to population & dog ownership.

I don't think dogs even have to be registered in the UK although they do require a licence to use a TV in their own home :laugh:

However I was at a community centre with a friend recently where they valued any antique for a small fee & I asked the most interesting or valuable one they had in for the day.

It was a dog registration tag from the Adelaide Council from the 1800's, can't recall the exact date. So they were at it with dog laws even back then

[Kajirin]

I don't think dogs even have to be registered in the UK although they do require a licence to use a TV in their own home :laugh:

However I was at a community centre with a friend recently where they valued any antique for a small fee & I asked the most interesting or valuable one they had in for the day.

It was a dog registration tag from the Adelaide Council from the 1800's, can't recall the exact date. So they were at it with dog laws even back then

Indeed http://www.adelaidec...egistration.pdf

The control of dogs in South Australia was administered by the Commissioner of Crown Lands under the Dog Act of 1860. By the provisions of this Act, the province was divided into a number of districts based on the District Councils Act of 1858, for the purpose of regulating the ownership of dogs and alleviating the nuisance caused by them. The Act compelled the owners of all dogs – with the exception of hunting dogs belonging to aboriginal inhabitants - to annually register them with the Registrar of Dogs appointed for each district either by the local council or, in the case of outback areas where there was no local authority, by the Commissioner of Crown Lands. The Dog Act was revised in 1867 to enable all corporate cities and towns to be declared districts for the purpose of the Act.

The Dog Act was further amended in 1884 to enable Registrars to annually issue dog owners with metal discs 'on which shall be inscribed the date of the year and the registration number and district of the dog registered.' The disc was supposed to be attached to the dog's collar and any dog discovered not displaying a registration disc was 'liable to be seized and destroyed as if unregistered' (Dog Act, No. 329 of 1884).

Remember in the early 80s they still used metal tags, much preferred them to the current plastic ones

Edited September 8, 2013 by Noishe

[Chocolatelover]

I currently live in London and I dread having to take my dog back to Australia after the freedom he has experienced here. I find most of the dogs and owners here much more social and relaxed and not continually stressed about being approached by a strange dog. Also while they don't register their dogs here, there is a requirement to have a tag with the owner's name and number - which in my opinion is much more sensible and much easier to make sure a dog gets home. I do find it unfair to generalise that Australians are too irresponsible to be given such freedom with their dogs - there will always be idiots who flout the rules (as there are over here) but the majority normally do the right thing. People don't even notice the dogs at the pub lying by the fire or on the train, because the dogs are used to being in that environment and are calm and unobtrusive. Very sad that it is "breaking the law" to take your dog to vote and the whole school thing mixeduppup. Maybe if kids/animals had more exposure to each other we could live in harmony. I accept that some people just don't like dogs - there is no requirement for them to pat or even look at my dog. I don't like having to passive smoke but I tolerate it because that's life.

[Loving my Oldies]

I do find it unfair to generalise that Australians are too irresponsible to be given such freedom with their dogs - there will always be idiots who flout the rules (as there are over here) but the majority normally do the right thing.

It isn't that Australian's are too irresponsible, it is because laws are made for the minority and for those who yell loudly enough. One person gets upset about something so screams: there should be a law against it.

[mumof4girls]

Dogs are allowed on our school grounds but is a private school if that makes a difference . I know state shools gave a sign out the front that tells you ..

I take mine if I have a day off , he is an Airedale so not so little lol.

[Lady Flying Furball]

It would hardly be a loss this election if the dogs paw printed a vote or two or ate our ballet papers. I think this election will find a greater percentage of unusable votes than any previously.

All the trees that have suffered in the name of politics. Now where are our dogs going to pee?

:laugh: The dog ate my vote!

...And if you're a politician...the dog ate my credibility

[Guest hankodie]

I'm asking a question in relation to the people who have said some people already have no control of their dog in public, not singling anyone out in particular.

I doubt Australia will ever be as dog friendly as USA and Europe and I'm wondering why.

I think the regulations that are already put into place make it hard for Australia to ever transition into being a dog friendly country, if we give everyone the same freedoms now there would be people walking around with their out of control dogs and I doubt they'd be considerate enough to care.

I do believe the issues we have with irresponsible owners and out of control dogs come from the fact that there are many places we can't take them and it becomes sort of a catch 22.

in NYC (particularly in the upper part of manhattan and in brooklyn) there are dogs of all sizes and breeds that live in tiny apartments and they do just fine. It's due to owners being forced to take their dogs out every day (rain hail or shine) and the owner being able to take the dog with them to many places. It results in the dog being very accustomed to all sorts of situations. The more situations the dog is accustomed to > the better behaved they are in public > the less incidences that occur. Obviously this isn't the rule as the US still has plenty of issues with dog attacks every week so it's not a foolproof system but people there don't freak out as much about dogs being in public spaces.

I'm not knocking Australian dog owners btw - this forum is an example of great knowledgable owners. I myself own a reactive dog so I'm not one to talk, I wouldn't take her anywhere with me even if I was allowed to anyway because she wouldn't cope and it wouldn't be fair on her or everyone else. Though I do think if I was still living in the US and I had her things might be a little different.

[Steph M]

I took Gus with us, was a good opportunity to get him to settle in line with lots of people and noise and paper flying about. I put Brooke about 20 people ahead of me so he could run back and take him while I went in, I didn't even consider taking him in to be honest.

He enjoyed himself though. He got lots of pats, everyone wanted to talk to him and he got to meet lots of kids. No harm no foul I guess.

[Steph M]

I think the regulations that are already put into place make it hard for Australia to ever transition into being a dog friendly country, if we give everyone the same freedoms now there would be people walking around with their out of control dogs and I doubt they'd be considerate enough to care.

I do believe the issues we have with irresponsible owners and out of control dogs come from the fact that there are many places we can't take them and it becomes sort of a catch 22.

I really really agree with this, especially the latter bit.

[Steph M]

This is misquoted.

(b) Food preparation/consumption areas (meaning any public place, or part of a public place, that is within 10 metres of any apparatus provided in that public place or part for the preparation of food for human consumption or for the consumption of food by humans).

Dogs are allowed in outdoor eating areas if there is a public thouroughfare.

There's a fabulous pub in Melbourne that open the courtyard to people and dogs one day a week and make it a special occasion. I would imagine they would have lost their license had it been illegal as it's well publicised and very well attended. That leads me to believe it must be discretionary?

It's good fun in summer too. Haha.

[Flashsmum]

We (hubby and I)took our great dane and greyhound when we voted. We were on our way to somewhere else, and one held the dogs out side whilst the other voted.

There were a couple of small dogs there as well. We had quite a few people come over with their children asking if the kids could say hello as our dogs were very calm, and it would be good for the kids to see that big dogs aren't scary. The only things they had to be wary of was being leant on or licked.

If our dogs were reactive, we would have left them in the car with one waiting with them, but as they are both very calm and appreciative of cuddles, we felt they would be fine. Also, we were there in the afternoon, so not very many people around, and it was at a school that is a bit out of the way, so much quieter.

We don't take our dogs everywhere, and don't feel that we should be allowed to, but we make a judgement call on the situation at the time, and try to do the right thing by our dogs, other people and the environment. Whatever is appropriate at the time.

[GomezAkita]

I take my Akita's to vote and have not had any issues at all (they are not small dogs at over 50kgs each).

I have even been to some schools to do work where there was a resident dog.

Most of the trouble is that the rules are inconsistent between locations and the type of people around I think.

[Tralee]

This is misquoted.

(b) Food preparation/consumption areas (meaning any public place, or part of a public place, that is within 10 metres of any apparatus provided in that public place or part for the preparation of food for human consumption or for the consumption of food by humans).

Dogs are allowed in outdoor eating areas if there is a public thouroughfare.

There's a fabulous pub in Melbourne that open the courtyard to people and dogs one day a week and make it a special occasion. I would imagine they would have lost their license had it been illegal as it's well publicised and very well attended. That leads me to believe it must be discretionary?

It's good fun in summer too. Haha.

There are several sidewalk cafes here and dogs are often accompanied by their owners.

I know its law because I used to worry about parking my Maremma in a sidewalk cafe in Redcliffe Q. but later found out its legally permitted.

[Steph M]

I have no idea, but I think a sidewalk cafe is different as it's rarer that dogs are allowed in enclosed pub courtyards? I could be wrong. I just like beer and puppies. Hahaha.

[LisaCC]

Steph I think it's completely up to the pub owner. My partners ACD is a regular at a pub here, although he does work there. She was also the local pub dog at his old town of 300 people though too

[Steph M]

I thought so! I quite like the idea of a pub dog! Haha. Imagine the scraps and pats! Hahaha.