Owners prosecuted for dangerous dogs

Five dangerous dog incidents, two of which resulted in the deaths of another dog and animal, have been prosecuted by Baw Baw Shire this year.

Council pursued five animal management prosecutions through the court system during the first quarter of this year, with the court finding in council’s favour in all cases.

In one incident at Drouin, the dog’s owner entered into voluntary dangerous dog declarations for two dogs who escaped their property and attacked a dog being walked on leash. The attack resulted in the death of the victim dog.

In this incident, the owner was fined $1000 without conviction and ordered to pay costs including $725 to the victim.

A dog also was declared a menacing dog by the court and the owner placed on good behaviour for six months without conviction, after a dog killed a rabbit.

The incident occurred in Warragul when the dog attacked the rabbit and rushed at a person. The dog was not registered and the owner also was charged with failing to produce the dog when asked by compliance staff.

In two other incidents, at Neerim North and Drouin, dogs remained with their owners but under control conditions.

At Neerim North, two dogs were found in the vicinity of attacked alpacas but officers said there was insufficient evidence to prove identity of the attacking dog. The owner failed to renew registrations of the two dogs.

The incident at Drouin involved a dog being exercised off leash in an designated off leash area but the dog entered a neighbouring property where it attacked a sheep causing serious injury. Council said the dog’s owner attended and arranged immediate vet assistance.

In the fifth incident in Warragul, a dog not securely confined, attacked a dog walking past the property.

The court ordered the owner to comply with an animal management agreement including restrain and training of the dog.

The quarterly report for council said there were 9464 animals registered in the shire at March 31, 2017, which was a decrease of 1533 animal registrations since the last quarter.

During the quarter, the community compliance team collected 160 animals, of which 87 were reclaimed by their owners.

Of the remaining 73 animals, 31 were rehomes through council’s adoption program or partner organisation and 42 were humanely euthanised as they were feral or not suitable to re-home.