Family grieves for pet pooch
KATTER’S Australian Party is calling for Uber to be banned in Queensland after the ridesharing service was stripped of its licence in London.
KAP state leader and Mount Isa MP Robbie Katter said Queensland should follow London’s lead.
“If one of the most progressive cities in the world can see this is a problem, we should follow their lead,’’ Mr Katter said.
“It might take people a little while to find out what London has already learned.
“Regulations of the taxi industry are there to serve a purpose and that is to protect consumers.”
Dalrymple MP Shane Knuth said the decision to cancel Uber licences in London should send alarm bells ringing in Queensland.
“We have law- abiding taxi drivers and owners who follow one standard, yet those who work outside of the regulation have another,” Mr Knuth said. A KIRWAN family has been traumatised after their beloved pet dog was killed by their neighbour’s two pit bulls inside their property.
Melanie Rouvray said when her daughter Ruby discovered her pet Shih tzu, Cookie, was killed she “let out the most haunting of screams”.
“We came home after spending some time at The Strand to find Cookie mauled to death,” Ms Rouvray said.
“It was heart- wrenching to see and hear my daughter so hysterical. Ruby was griefstricken, inconsolable.”
Ms Rouvray was also unhappy the dogs that killed Cookie on Friday night were allowed to stay in the neighbour’s property all weekend.
“I was told by a ( Townsville City) council officer on the Friday night that I would have to wait to Monday before the matter was investigated further and any action taken,” she said.
“I have young children and my other dog T- Bone, so I was worried all weekend that the neighbour’s pit bulls would attack again.”
Ms Rouvray said the council needed an improved after- hours action plan in place after a dog attack had taken place.
“To be told on Friday night that I would have to wait to Monday until the matter would be further investigated is just not suitable,” she said. “What if those dogs had attacked my other dog, or worse a small child?”
Ms Rouvray said it appeared her neighbour’s pit bulls got into her property under the backyard fence.
“We’ve never had any trouble from ( the neighbour’s) dogs in the past,” she said. “My neighbour has apologised, saying it was out of character for his dogs to do such a thing. Be that as it may, the dogs killed my daughter’s pet.”
Director of Planning and Community Engagement Eber Butron said the council was investigating the attack.
“The council takes dog attacks very seriously and we have on- call staff available at all hours to attend to these issues,” Mr Butron said.
“We have been in contact with the owner of the deceased dog … and our investigations are continuing.”
He said the on- call compliance officer attended the offending dogs’ property again on Saturday to follow up with the dog owner and deemed the dogs to be securely contained in their own yard.