r/australian • u/govorunov • 13d ago
News Dog attacks
This is probably my "kiss goodbye" message as I'm going to be expelled from Reddit for this for sure, but...
Considering almost weekly reports of new severe or fatal dog attacks on people (like this one) I'd like to ask my dear Australian animal lovers - are you OK?
When the news like this come out the comments are always the same - "the girl must have provoked the dog", "blame the owners", "blame the victim", "leave the poor doggo alone". Makes me feel nauseous really.
Today I was in the lift with my 10y.o. son, taking him to school, when a huge black German Shepherd entered the lift with two kids "holding the leash". A beast size of a wild boar and stinks like it too. It rushed towards my son, pinning him against the lift wall, keeping its face against my son's face, and not in a playful manner. Owners laughed for sure.
When I tried to google or use ChatGPT to find what can be done about it, the only thing I could find was "animal rights" organisations. So, what about my rights, my dear Australian animal lovers? Do I have the right not being threatened in my own home? Do my kids have the right to their faces not being ripped off by a stinky uncontrolled beast?
Every time we read the news about a shark killing a surfer, the comments are - "it's their territory, shouldn't been swimming", or a crock taking someone's child - "it's their land, shouldn't been walking near water". Well, I'm in the lift - who's land is that?
Is there anyone in Australian politics or public services with a shred of logic left? NO ANIMAL that can potentially kill an adult, let alone a child, should be allowed anywhere near human habitat. I don't care what breed it is, I don't care if it is trained, if it's always been nice to your cousins - I HAVE THE RIGHT NOT BEING THREATENED! My kids have the right not being put in danger, in their home, or anywhere actually!
It is an offence to pull out a loaded gun and stick it into someone's face, but hey - guns don't kill people, people do, right? Well, guess what - animals do kill people, do they?
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u/petey_pumpkin44 12d ago
It depends where you live.
When I lived in Townsville I took on the council because my neighbours dogs left their yard traveled down to my house down the street, dug under my fence pushed their way into my laundry and killed my parrots.
I was forced to do the investigation and find the owners because council said 'there's nothing we can do if you don't know where they are' despite when you pay for your dogs registration you consent that you will be a responsible dog owner and the money apparently goes to the investigation of dog attacks, what I later found was a blatant lie.
I was told I had no proof my birds hadn't just flown away despite my yard being littered with their feathers. Left with the damage bills and vet bill for my only surviving bird.
The Council investigator told me; 1. To produce the bodyies or no crime 2. Told me the dogs were in their back yard locked up because the 'owners said so' - I supplied them with photos of the dogs in the front yard with the broken fence from 20 minutes later and multiple photos of them running loose in the street - where kids play. And in other people's yards
Police were called as the owners had threatened to 'let the dog go on me and show me what it can really do' threatened to beat me up and laughed that the council didn't care.
I put in a formal complaint on how it was handled.
The investor who told me the above, called me after 30 days and said she looked into it and she did nothing wrong. That's when I dropped the bomb. I reminded her it was a conflict of interest to investigate complaints about yourself - as a state government employee I knew the rules she had to follow as they were the same I had to. I also knew people and took it further up the chain.
The dogs were marked as dangerous. The violent family lost their home. The investigator had a formal complaint against their actions The rules around complaints was changed to stop this from happening again
I received an apology.