Page 1886 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 16 June 1993
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Madam Speaker, the Bill that I am introducing is largely a response to the spate of attacks by vicious dogs on members of this community. This Bill is to tighten the Dog Control Act in regard to dangerous dogs. I believe that it was in fact the issue of dog attacks that raised the necessity to take a closer look at the Dog Control Act in the first place, and since then the Act has been shown to be inadequate in several respects. However, it is my understanding that the Minister will address a number of these issues in response to the working party report.
Madam Speaker, when looking more closely at the Dog Control Act and in fact coming to terms with the question of dealing with dangerous dogs, it seemed to me that the stumbling block was that the Act did not define what a dangerous dog was and, as such, it was not possible to prescribe specific requirements for the keeping and handling of such animals. Madam Speaker, this Bill therefore provides an interpretation of what is meant by a dangerous dog. This will require listing some breeds and it will enable the registrar, by instrument, to declare a dog to be dangerous. I have not compiled a list of what I would regard as dangerous breeds. That is not my area of expertise. I would be quite happy for that to be determined by those who have knowledge in the framing of the regulations. I might say, however, that South Australia has listed dangerous breeds and that at least half a dozen States in the United States of America have listed dangerous dog breeds in their dog control laws.
Madam Speaker, having defined a dangerous dog, the Bill quite specifically prescribes the requirements for the keeping of such dogs and how they are to be handled in public. For a start, people who wish to keep a dangerous dog will be required to apply for a licence to do so. The penalty for not doing so will be a heavy fine. Madam Speaker, this requirement is designed to restrict the ownership of dangerous dogs to people who are responsible in the keeping of them, whether for breeding purposes or for pets or guard dogs. Where an application to keep a dangerous dog is refused, the registrar will have the opportunity to have the dog seized and destroyed and, furthermore, an inspector will be able to enter the premises where the dangerous dog is kept to seize the dog. Madam Speaker, I believe this to be in the interests of not only the general public but also the animals. I am aware of cases where dangerous dogs have not been kept securely on the keeper's premises and they have cruelly savaged neighbours' pets to death. Licensing will carry certain requirements with respect to where and how dangerous dogs are kept.
In this Bill we are looking to anticipate where the possible dangers exist, and we believe one area of danger to be when dogs are taken to public places by their keepers. The Bill therefore requires that all such dogs must be restrained by leash and kept under control by a responsible person. Under this requirement it would no longer be possible to tie a dog up in a public place. I have seen cases where a young person has spotted a dog tied up near a shop and gone over to pat it, and the dog has snapped aggressively at the child. In these cases it is not the dog's fault, but the risks of a young child being seriously bitten are high. Of course, not only are there dangers from bites; there are other health risks as well. Madam Speaker, when parents take their children shopping they should not have to worry about dogs. This Bill takes a strong approach to dealing with dangerous dogs in public. It is my view that prevention is always better than the cure. When you think of some of the horrific dog attacks that have taken place in this community in recent times, it is hard to see a total cure with some victims. So, under these circumstances prevention is the way to go.
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