Dachshund Mauled to Death on Walk

[Deeds]

https://www.9news.com.au/national/sunshine-coast-pet-owners-horror-as-dachshund-is-mauled-to-death-on-walk/0065e0a0-ce0a-42b9-bb1b-207b8dd59550

[tdierikx]

Quote

Torrie said the couple who were taking the bull Arab and other dog for a walk were pet sitters. There is no suggestion the pet sitters hold any responsibility for the attack.

Sunshine Coast Council rangers were called to the scene and the bull Arab was impounded.

"They have got the dog in the council pound but they can't progress it any further until the owners are back from overseas," Torrie said.

 

Ummm... under most legislation (in Qld also), the person in control of the dog at the time of an offense can be held liable. Why the suggestion that the people walking the large dog are not in any way responsible has me stumped. They were legally in control of said dog, and obviously didn't have full control if it managed to get free and attack another dog.

 

Under the new legislation passed earlier this year, I'd say that the dog will be destroyed, and the owners will cop a massive fine as well (or even jail time)... but as the owners were not the ones in control of the dog at the time of the attack (they were/are overseas), then those who were should get some penalty also IMHO.

 

T.

[persephone]

Poor little dog of course the pet sitters should take some responsibility...they were the ones walking the  attacking dog after all. 

[Rebanne]

Unless the lead was provided by the owners and it broke then yeah the dog walkers have to take responsibility

[Little Gifts]

I agree it seems bizarre the pet walkers aren't responsible but they might also have a contract with the owners - is your pet dog friendly, does it walk well on a leash, can you provide an appropriate sized leash or harness for walking, etc. You'd be pretty traumatised yourself if noone told you the new dog you were caring for temporarily was an escape artist who hated small breed dogs. As usual it sounds like there is more to the story (I'd never be capable of walking 5 dogs together and personally don't know how you can control that many if one decides to act up) but it also sounds like the pet sitters gave the dog up to council and it will be up to them to determine who is ultimately responsible. The dog pays the ultimate price as usual.

[tdierikx]

19 hours ago, Rebanne said:

Unless the lead was provided by the owners and it broke then yeah the dog walkers have to take responsibility

 

One of the news articles says that the dog pulled the lead out of the sitter's hand. That tells me they weren't paying enough attention to the dog they were walking. A professional sitter would surely be holding a lead with 2 hands to ensure control if any untoward behaviour happens on a walk - especially with a large dog like a Bull Arab that is essentially unknown to the walker.

 

Regardless, if the dog managed to pull the lead out of the walker's hand, then they did not have effective control of said dog, and should be held responsible for the outcome.

 

How the owners can be held liable for this is beyond me. They are overseas, and the dogs are/were in the care and control of pet sitters who then took them out for a walk. Liability rests with the adult in control of the dog at the time of the offense...

 

T.

[persephone]

3 hours ago, tdierikx said:

Liability rests with the adult in control of the dog at the time of the offense...

Yes.