Stricken nan calls for council action Dog attack fear lives on
A TOWNSVILLE grandmother is calling for Townsville City Council to liaise with the public housing department after she was knocked down and injured in a dog attack that left her beloved pet dead.
Marilyn Turner, 70, lost her “best friend” Kai in a vicious attack by neighbouring dogs from a public housing property in her own backyard in March.
Ms Turner wants local bodies and state departments to enforce heavier penalties and fines to protect the community from dangerous dogs.
“I have been left heartbroken, traumatised, grieving and with a crushed vertebrae in my back forever,” Ms Turner said.
She is questioning the department for allowing a tenant to live in a property with dangerous dogs and believes council should liaise with housing following dog attacks and dangerous dog ownership.
“I want fencing regulations upgraded to ensure the yards are inescapable and if dogs do escape, their owners heavily fined the first time and dogs destroyed if they attack anything,” Ms Turner said.
Townsville City Council in March confirmed two dogs who entered her Hodges Crescent backyard from the neighbouring property and “ripped apart” Kai had been put down.
A third dog was returned to the property bordering Ms Turner’s with council saying investigations were ongoing.
“The third dog from the property has not been declared as dangerous,” a spokesman said. Ms Turner said she had been labelled a liar for insisting all three canines were involved in the vicious attack.
“I saw my dog in its jaws as the two ( dogs) tried to tear him in half,” she said.
Ms Turner believes not enough action has been taken.
“The council have stopped answering my calls or texts,” Ms Turner said.
“I am being ignored ... they hope I will just go away.”
Townsville City Council said the investigation into the Vincent incident was ongoing.
“Council is awaiting a finalised statement from the Queensland Police officer who attended the incident before any potential actions against the owner can be taken,” a spokeswoman said.
The council say there are no indications a third dog was involved.
“Interviews with a witness to the dog attacks suggest only two dogs were involved,” a council spokesman said.
Ms Turner said the experience has affected her quality of life. “I am still having flashbacks and do not trust the fence which is still not repaired on my side,” she said.
“I am in pain every day and we are missing Kai terribly.”