Dog owners fined for putting community at risk
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Two dog owners have been convicted and fined for continuously endangering the community.
The Lakemba couple was fined $2,000 for not following the strict controls around owning a declared dangerous dog, which had been involved in two serious attacks on people.
The first attack occurred in September 2018, when one of the pair’s two Staffordshire Bull Terriers attacked a woman at Bankstown City Gardens, inflicting multiple puncture wounds and lacerations to her legs, arms and chest. The same dog, which had been declared a dangerous dog under the Companion Animals Act 1998, then attacked a 55- year-old man at Lakemba in January this year. A 33-year-old man, who came to the victim’s assistance, was also attacked. Both men suffered serious injuries, requiring stitches to puncture wounds and lacerations.
City of Canterbury Bankstown was forced to euthanize the offending dog and declared the couple’s other Staffy, which was present and unrestrained during both of the attacks, a dangerous dog. It has then taken action against the owners, after an inspection found the dog was not being contained in an approved enclosure with appropriate warning signage.
While welcoming the court’s decision to hand out a penalty in this instance, Mayor Khal Asfour was not happy with the leniency shown to the owners.
"The dog in question had a history of attacks and on each occasion, the owners did not take the necessary precautions to avoid them from occurring," he said.
"The court had the ability to jail the owners and I believe that should have occurred, because their pet could have killed someone! At the very least, they should have been banned from ever owning a dog again but the court only handed them a fine."
Mayor Asfour said all pet owners, particular those with animals declared dangerous, are required by law to follow specific procedures.
"Owning a pet carries important responsibilities with it,” he said.
"Residents should also be able to feel safe when doing a simple thing like walking down the street."
If residents are the victim or witness a dog attack, they are encouraged to call Police immediately. They should also contact Council if they believe a dog is a danger or a menace. For more information, call Council’s Customer Service Centre on 9707 9000, or visit cb.city/responsibledogownership