Page 3744 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 19 September 2018
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outcomes of an investigation, that data be collected and stored more effectively and that dog rangers be given the power to seize dogs that pose a risk to the public safety.
While I find it odd that the government would supress this report for nearly half a year without any particular reason, I welcome the review and I hope the government will take it very seriously into consideration when it considers my exposure draft that I presented today.
The exposure draft that I presented today will create clear accountability measures that address many of these areas. Many victims of dog attacks have complained that they are not informed of the status of investigations into dog attacks. We have previously raised this issue with the government on behalf of constituents, of victims, but the government did not seem to think it mattered.
Under these proposed new laws, domestic animal services will be required to inform the victim, dog owner and responsible minister of the outcome of the investigation within 14 days of its completion. The registrar will also be required to collect data and document an investigation. Our proposed laws also address the conditions under which a dog is seized, tightening them to require that a dog that seriously injures or kills a domestic animal must be impounded during an investigation.
The report urged that dogs should not be seized for minor incidents. Our proposed laws make provision for this by distinguishing between domestic and non-domestic animals. A dog that innocently kills or injures a non-domestic animal would not be captured by the proposed legislation.
While Labor and the Greens prevaricate and do nothing, the dog problem is getting worse. It is getting worse. The Canberra Times reported on 8 July 2018 that 220 dog attacks have occurred in Canberra in the first five months of the year. Almost 100 involved a dog attacking a human. That is about two people attacked by dogs every three days. Why, then, has the government sat on this report for nearly six months?
How do those two people, every three days, feel about this? How do the owners of the pet dogs Jack, Rocky, Coco, Rex, Biscuit, Max, Buddy, Indi, Molly, Cooper, Bear, Duke or Toby feel about the fact that the government has sat on this report for nearly six months and done nothing? There have been 124 pets reported to have been attacked in the first five months of this year. These are dogs that have been attacked, mutilated or killed.
How do those owners feel about the fact that the government has done nothing with this report for nearly six months, the fact that those owners have faced enormous bills from their vet, and psychological and emotional distress for them and the rest of their families? Some have been so traumatised that they will not go out walking in their own streets anymore. They certainly will not take their dog out if their dog has survived such an attack.
Where is the animal welfare interest in having pets on leads being mauled to death in a public street? Where is the concern for the welfare of animals in letting this
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