Page 4053 - Week 11 - Thursday, 21 September 2017
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Work has recently been undertaken to improve the DAS facility at Symonston, including upgrading the kennels and purchasing a pressure washer and hydro-bath for dog hygiene and care. There is provision in the budget for further works as well, and a feasibility study is underway for the future of the facility. The government is also delivering upgrades to six off-leash dog parks in O’Connor, Belconnen, Tuggeranong, Yarralumla, Forde and Casey, with an additional dog park being constructed at Weston Creek shortly.
As I have outlined, TCCS has done a significant amount of work in recent years to strengthen the ACT’s approach to animal welfare and management, and it will continue to work towards implementing the actions of the strategy. Many of the actions outlined in this statement reflect actions recommended in the strategy, emphasising that this is a priority piece of work for the government.
We are focusing our resources on proactive and preventative measures, seeking input from the community on how we can improve our processes and regularly reviewing our laws to ensure that they are appropriate, robust and reflect best practice principles of animal care and management. I look forward to reporting the progress of the strategy over the coming months.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff in TCCS, in particular members of the domestic animal service, who experience these issues on a daily basis. The work they do is difficult work. They are often confronted with very emotional and distressing scenes and see firsthand the aftermath of dog attacks. They work hard and, as I have outlined, have made an enormous effort in recent years to reassess and improve their regulatory and customer service approach. Every week they balance the safety needs of the community as a whole with the specific needs of individual pet owners and those in the community who may feel aggrieved, inconvenienced or unsafe because of an animal. I commend them for their commitment and hard work.
Canberrans love their dogs, and I would like to thank the vast majority of dog owners who always do the right thing. But it is time for those Canberra dog owners who do not do the right thing to take some responsibility for their animals and to stop putting the rest of the community at risk. By letting your dog run off leash or not providing a secure, properly fenced yard, you can risk injuries to people, other animals and your own pets.
I know that many Canberrans love their dogs and feel they can trust them off leash; however, this can unexpectedly lead to interactions with other dogs, often with terrible outcomes. This is very distressing for everyone involved. I am regularly hearing of cases of distressing dog attacks, and it is time for me to say that enough is enough. I urge all dog owners in Canberra to register your dog, to ensure that it is being walked on leash by a responsible dog walker, and to maintain your yard and fences to prevent escapes. The government takes the regulation of dogs, particularly dangerous dogs, very seriously, with heavy penalties available for people who do not follow the rules.
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