Stricter regulations on dangerous dogs

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SUBSCRIBE HOME DELIVERY BUY SEARCH SELL MY TRIBUTES GENERAL INQUIRIES 29 33 31 30 21 14 4 12 16 35 36 30 15 17 31 13 NEW laws to force owners of dangerous and restricted dogs to “childproof” their pet enclosures have been welcomed by Townsville City Council.

The new legislation, which came into effect on September 1, means regulated dogs must have an enclosure that consists of “firm and strong materials” and the exterior of the walls must be designed to prevent a child from climbing over, under or through.

The enclosure must also be designed to prevent the dog, or part of the dog, from protruding over, under or through the enclosure.

The beefed-up regulations were introduced this month and replace previous restrictions that had only required owners to ensure a child could not climb into the enclosure.

A council spokeswoman said the council supported the new legislation for regulated dog enclosures but said much of what had been amended was already enforced in the region.

“Council always welcomes legislation aimed at protecting not just children, but any member of our community,” the spokeswoman said.

“The new legislation reflects practices that council already has in place and has been enforcing when dealing with any restricted dogs.

“What this new legislation does is make it easier for our compliance officers to enforce the regulations surrounding regulated dogs and ensure that we can effectively manage the risks associated.”

Agriculture Minister Mark Furner said the changes had been made to “modernise requirements” and make them more consistent with other jurisdictions.

“The additional requirements for enclosures impose extra safety requirements for containing a regulated dog and are in the public interest,” he said.

The new enclosure laws relate to restricted and declared dangerous dogs.

Restricted breeds include the dogo argentino, fila brasileiro, Japanese tosa and the American pit bull terrier or pit bull terrier.

The Townsville Bulletin previously reported dangerous dog numbers were on the rise in the region but the number of attacks on humans and other pets has dropped slightly.

A total of 74 dogs were declared dangerous in Townsville last financial year, 11 more than the same period 12 months earlier.

Townsville had 32,500 registered dogs as of June 2019, according to the council.