Page 3682 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 16 October 1990
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From January to June 1990, 491 animal nuisance complaints were received. The majority of these complaints concern barking dogs.
Following initial enquiries by Dog Control Officers, dog attack reports are referred to the Director of Public Prosecution for advice and the owners of dogs involved in attacks may be prosecuted.
Roaming and stray dog complaints are passed to an Inspector who attends the address to either search for the offending roaming dog or to collect a stray dog from an address.
Animal Nuisance complaints have to be assessed as to the nature of the complaint and the most appropriate procedure outlined to the complainant in accordance with the Animal Nuisance Control Act 1975.
(6) No statistics are kept by the Dog Control Unit.
(7) There were eight individuals summoned to appear before a
Magistrate to answer 19 offences committed under the
Dog Control Act 1975. Ail of the offences related to the
owners dog attacking a person or another animal.
(8) All of the prosecutions were successful. The Magistrate
saw fit in most instances to impose the maximum penalty for
the offence, and fines of $140 to $290 were imposed.
(9) There are four Dog Inspectors working two shifts per day.
Two Inspectors patrol Northside and two Inspectors patrol
Southside daily on weekdays. An Inspector is restated to
attend to emergency calls at weekends on a "call-out" basis.
The Dog Control Office located in the Department of Environment, Land and Planning is staffed by the Registrar and Deputy Registrar of Dogs and two persons answering telephone calls.
(10) The Government will consider amendments to the
Control Act 1975 in the near future. A substantial
publicity campaign and public education program will inform
the Canberra community of the amendments prior to their
enactment. Unregistered dogs will be targeted so that dog
owners bear the cost of dog control in the community.
(11) The "Your Dog ...Your Responsibility" campaign is
continuing. The Registrar of Dogs through the Neighbourhood
Watch program has attended Annual General Meetings to provide
direct advice to Zone Leaders and encourage them to distribute
information supplied in newsletters. Dog Control pamphlets
are available to the public at Government Shopfronts and
supplied to the SPCA Education officer for distribution to
school classes following lectures.
3682
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