Bill Bruce Is Coming To Australia

[huck house]

Bill Bruce is coming to Australia

Aimee Mundt / 14 hours agoThe Panel is delighted to announce that retired Calgary ranger, Bill Bruce, is coming to Australia as the Panel's guest on 15 October 2013. Mr Bruce will first visit Sydney; then travel to Melbourne on Saturday 19 October; and then to Perth on Wednesday 23 October before returning to Sydney to conclude his visit on Sunday 27 October. Further details of his visit will be posted when his itinerary is finalised. It is planned to hold a seminar in Melbourne on Sunday 20 October to which Council local laws officers and members of the public will be invited on a "first in" basis. The seminar will be organised in conjunction with Saving Dogs and Dogs on Trial Victoria. In Perth a similar seminar is planned for Saturday 26 October, to be organised in conjunction with West Australians Against BSL. Whilst in Australia Mr Bruce will meet decision-makers, media, Council rangers, and those who attend the seminars. The purpose of his visit is to enable him to espouse the merits of the Calgary model (early socialisation of pups, dog training, licensing and education of owners) by comparison with the deficiencies of the current breed specific legislation model. The Panel gratefully acknowledges the financial and other support of West Australians Against BSL and Dogs on Trial Victoria. We also reiterate our special thanks to all of our donors to the Foundation's 'End BSL' account to help fund the cost of Mr Bruce's visit.

BAWP - Barristers Animal Welfare Panel bawp.org.au

Edited September 13, 2013 by huck house

[GeckoTree]

I hope the councils take up the invitation!

[melzawelza]

Info on the Sydney seminar for the General public:

Team Dog and Australian BSL Protesters have been working together to assist the Barristers Animal Welfare Panel in bringing Bill Bruce, creator of the much celebrated Calgary Model of Animal Management to Australia.

If you would like to come and hear him talk about the Calgary Model and how successful it has been then please click on the event below and RSVP to the email provided to reserve your seat. Just clicking GOING will not reserve you a seat to this event so please get your email in ASAP.

Lets hope Bill can talk some sense into our Government while he is here and pave the way for the implementation of a proven, science based model of animal management.

Facebook Link

Details for anyone without Facebook:

When: Wedensday 17th October 6-8pm

Where: Barnett Long Room - Customs House

31 Alfred St, Sydney, Australia 2000

Cost: Free

RSVP to: [email protected]

Some more information on the Calgary Model can be found at the below links:

A Community Model for Responsible pet ownership: Calgary, Alberta

The Calgary Model

Animal Services and the Responsible Pet Ownership Model

[mita]

I

Lets hope Bill can talk some sense into our Government while he is here and pave the way for the implementation of a proven, science based model of animal management.

[

Amen to that!

Trouble is that Governments can tend to listen to the most 'popular' beliefs in the community. And pander to them.

So I hope a lot of what Bill says can get reported to the general public as well.

His visit is a great initiative.

[melzawelza]

I

Lets hope Bill can talk some sense into our Government while he is here and pave the way for the implementation of a proven, science based model of animal management.

[

Amen to that!

Trouble is that Governments can tend to listen to the most 'popular' beliefs in the community. And pander to them.

So I hope a lot of what Bill says can get reported to the general public as well.

His visit is a great initiative.

Yep, agreed! And from what I understand BAWP are organising a lot of media while he's here. This seminar is for the general public too (there is also a stakeholder seminar)

[mita]

Great stuff, mel.

[dragonwoman]

Could I have the details of Melbourne seminar, please?

[mita]

Details here re Melbourne:

https://www.facebook.com/events/503195586443975/

[Tibbie_tabbie]

Got tickets for Perth talk - yay!

[MelodysMum]

You can watch an interview with Bill Bruce that Kaye Browne from the Pet Talk People did after the Sydney seminar here -

[sumosmum]

Bill Bruce will be interviewed on the 7.30 Show Victoria, ABC1 Friday night (25 Oct). Bill said it was an excellent interview. Looking forward to watching.

There will be an online link available after the show has aired. :)

[ricey]

I went to the Perth Bill Bruce seminar; so inspiring!

Bill's presentation was clear, logical, and I would think hard to refute by the "pro BSL simpletons". His Calgary model has been shown to work at reducing dog bites and encouraging owners to be responsible for their dogs. While he said that the Calgary model is not 'plug and play' or 'one size fits all', the process of implementing similar programmes to fit the needs of individual communities very much is.

Bill re-iterated what most of us here already know; the problem is not with vicious dogs but with irresponsible owners. He was at pains to point out that most times it is not the deliberate failings of the individual dog owner, but their lack of knowledge, awareness of available support, or understanding of the available alternatives.

One thing that Bill said that struck a chord with me was when he was faced with some of his rangers crying because they had to euthanise a lovely stray dog. When he asked why the dog had to be killed, he was told because it was a pit bull terrier and that was the local policy. Bill used a method that I have used many times "that's not a pit bull; it's a staffy/lab cross". That pit bull was was successfully rehomed and so it should have been. Thanks to Bill, Calgary has a policy that no healthy rehomable dog of any breed is euthanased. Interestingly, the average length of stay at the Calgary 'pound' is 3 days. Yet they don't kill any healthy rehomable dog......

Graham McEwan ((chair of BAWP) also spoke, and spoke well. Although the West Australian legislation is no where near as awful as the Victorian legislation, it is still awful. An interesting point he made was that 85% of council 'pit bull' determinations are overturned at VCAT. He made a case for encouraging 1 or 2 Perth metropolitan councils to trial the Calgary model, and then to use the statistics to encourage other councils to follow. Apparently this plan is being implemented in WA and I hope it takes flight.

Sadly, no WA state parliamentarian from any party attended the seminar.

ricey

[mita]

Thanks for that summary. Clear, fully supportable good sense. No wonder pound/shelter work's been found to have appalling mental/emotional health consequences for staff. He paints a tragic picture of distressed rangers having to PTS lovely dogs, based solely on laws about breed label.

Not surprised that politicians were conspicuous by their absence. Too much electoral risk in being seen as Friend of the Pitbulls. More votes in whipping up fear & loathing...

[sumosmum]

If you would like to see the overhead slides used by Bill in his talk, you can download from the following link. They are in my dropbox. Bill has given permission to me to convert the files, and post this, as previously they were in an apple format and not all could view.

You can also find the link on Dogs On Trial DOT Victoria facebook page. We had the pleasure of organising and hosting the Sunday seminar, also having dinner with Bill and his lovely wife during his week here. Absolutely wonderful people, and Bill is a common sense genius in my opinion. Please let me know if the link doesn't work. Hope it is okay to post here.

Animal Services Presentation Calgary Model by Bill Bruce

[sandgrubber]

If you would like to see the overhead slides used by Bill in his talk, you can download from the following link. They are in my dropbox. Bill has given permission to me to convert the files, and post this, as previously they were in an apple format and not all could view.

You can also find the link on Dogs On Trial DOT Victoria facebook page. We had the pleasure of organising and hosting the Sunday seminar, also having dinner with Bill and his lovely wife during his week here. Absolutely wonderful people, and Bill is a common sense genius in my opinion. Please let me know if the link doesn't work. Hope it is okay to post here.

Animal Services Presentation Calgary Model by Bill Bruce

I love the concepts that Bill Bruce presents, but I put truth above my personal convictions. The numbers don't look that good. Slide #74 in his presentation shows significant increas in aggressive dog incidents since their program began . . . though the pattern has been for decline in the decades before it was implemented.

I would like to believe that the Calgary approach works. But I'm not sure the Calgary statistics look so good.

Edited to correct errors

Edited November 19, 2013 by sandgrubber

[mita]

SG, could that rise in aggressive dog incidents be related to reporting awareness & protocols associated with a new comprehensive system? if a dog management system has strong public safety goals based on actual dog behaviours, then reporting of behaviours would get priority. Rather than relying mainly on breed identification. Not saying this is the explanation. Just wondering.

[ricey]

If you would like to see the overhead slides used by Bill in his talk, you can download from the following link. They are in my dropbox. Bill has given permission to me to convert the files, and post this, as previously they were in an apple format and not all could view.

You can also find the link on Dogs On Trial DOT Victoria facebook page. We had the pleasure of organising and hosting the Sunday seminar, also having dinner with Bill and his lovely wife during his week here. Absolutely wonderful people, and Bill is a common sense genius in my opinion. Please let me know if the link doesn't work. Hope it is okay to post here.

Animal Services Presentation Calgary Model by Bill Bruce

I love the concepts that Bill Bruce presents, but I put truth above my personal convictions. The numbers don't look that good. Slide #74 in his presentation shows significant increas in aggressive dog incidents since their program began . . . though the pattern has been for decline in the decades before it was implemented.

I would like to believe that the Calgary approach works. But I'm not sure the Calgary statistics look so good.

Edited to correct errors

In the time that the Calgary model has been in place, their human and dog population has nearly doubled. I would recommend that you look at slide 52 from the presentation, sandgrubber. This slide shows that aggressive dog incidents in 2008 were less than 150, compared to over 650 in 1985. In that time, the Calgary human population grew from 620,000 to 1,100,000. Me, I'd think that those stats were fairly compelling; what part of these stats supports your view that there has been a significant increase in aggressive dog incidents since the implementation of the Calgary model? I'd really be interested if you could back up your views, sandgrubber.

Regards,

ricey

Edit: Slide #74 from the Chilliwack presentation that sandgrubber is referring to is slide 52 from the Bill Bruce seminar that I am referring to. I can not see any evidence that would suggest that the number of aggressive incidents have gone up; they have gone done, and they have gone down consistently and remarkably. And they have stayed down. Sandgrubber, I'd appreciate it if you would give your reasoning for your assertion that aggressive dog incidents have gone up.

Edited November 21, 2013 by ricey

[sandgrubber]

In the time that the Calgary model has been in place, their human and dog population has nearly doubled. I would recommend that you look at slide 52 from the presentation, sandgrubber. This slide shows that aggressive dog incidents in 2008 were less than 150, compared to over 650 in 1985. In that time, the Calgary human population grew from 620,000 to 1,100,000. Me, I'd think that those stats were fairly compelling; what part of these stats supports your view that there has been a significant increase in aggressive dog incidents since the implementation of the Calgary model? I'd really be interested if you could back up your views, sandgrubber.

Regards,

ricey

Edit: Slide #74 from the Chilliwack presentation that sandgrubber is referring to is slide 52 from the Bill Bruce seminar that I am referring to. I can not see any evidence that would suggest that the number of aggressive incidents have gone up; they have gone done, and they have gone down consistently and remarkably. And they have stayed down. Sandgrubber, I'd appreciate it if you would give your reasoning for your assertion that aggressive dog incidents have gone up.

These are not my views, they are a literal reading of data taken from the City of Calgary's website. Dog bite incidence (green) has more than doubled from 2009 to 2012. The dramatic decline in overall incidences comes in 1999-2000, before the new model of dog control was implemented. . . it is not a decline in bites but in chasing. Bites do decrease dramatically in 2009, but go back up again thereafter. Mita may be right that there is a change in reporting. It would require research to figure out what is behind the numbers; the figure caption indicates that there was a change in how bites were recorded after 2009. Without further research I would not say the stats indicate that the Calgary model has been a great success.

Edited November 24, 2013 by sandgrubber

[ricey]

In the time that the Calgary model has been in place, their human and dog population has nearly doubled. I would recommend that you look at slide 52 from the presentation, sandgrubber. This slide shows that aggressive dog incidents in 2008 were less than 150, compared to over 650 in 1985. In that time, the Calgary human population grew from 620,000 to 1,100,000. Me, I'd think that those stats were fairly compelling; what part of these stats supports your view that there has been a significant increase in aggressive dog incidents since the implementation of the Calgary model? I'd really be interested if you could back up your views, sandgrubber.

Regards,

ricey

Edit: Slide #74 from the Chilliwack presentation that sandgrubber is referring to is slide 52 from the Bill Bruce seminar that I am referring to. I can not see any evidence that would suggest that the number of aggressive incidents have gone up; they have gone done, and they have gone down consistently and remarkably. And they have stayed down. Sandgrubber, I'd appreciate it if you would give your reasoning for your assertion that aggressive dog incidents have gone up.

These are not my views, they are a literal reading of data taken from the City of Calgary's website. Dog bite incidence (green) has more than doubled from 2009 to 2012. The dramatic decline in overall incidences comes in 1999-2000, before the new model of dog control was implemented. . . it is not a decline in bites but in chasing. Bites do decrease dramatically in 2009, but go back up again thereafter. Mita may be right that there is a change in reporting. It would require research to figure out what is behind the numbers; the figure caption indicates that there was a change in how bites were recorded after 2009. Without further research I would not say the stats indicate that the Calgary model has been a great success.

there has been an increase in reported bites in 2012, which is one year out of 12. All other years show a decline

[melzawelza]

And we also have to remember that even with the increase in reported bites in 2012, the bite rate is insanely low for a population of 1.1 million people.