NorthernStarPits

WA's Risky Canines http://www.perthaca.com.au/ Tue 03/02/09 The number of dangerous dogs in our state - including Pit Bulls - is increasing. Laws introduced three years ago were supposed to wipe out fighting dogs. But loop holes in the law are making it easy for some people to breed and sell them. In WA, Pit Bull terriers along with fighting dogs from Argentina and Brazil, the Japanese Tosa and Presa Canario are considered to be so dangerous they're restricted under our laws. There's about 2,000 restricted dogs being kept as pets in WA. There aren't overall statistics for the number of dogs that have been destroyed for attacking people or other animals, so A Current Affair surveyed all 141 Local Governments in Western Australia. Of the local governments that replied, five councils reported destroying a total of 23 dogs. Five of those were restricted breeds. Since 2006 all owners of restricted dog breeds MUST have their pets de-sexed or risk their dogs being seized by rangers and killed. The legislation was designed to wipe out dangerous dogs in WA in one generation. But it's not working. There're several loop holes in the legislation. Breeding and selling restricted breeds isn't illegal in WA. And there's nothing stopping any of us buying a restricted breed puppy from the Eastern States. Local Government Minister John Castrilli now plans to introduce an amendment into Parliament that'll fill the gaps in the current laws. "We'll make it illegal to have an unsterilized restricted breed, we'll make it illegal to advertise, we'll make it illegal to sell or transfer and make it illegal to breed,” he says. Kelly Dahl has every reason to be scared of Pit-bulls - he was attacked by two of them in June last year. "They actual dogs turned on me and were just ripping shreds out of me,” he says. “They wouldn't let me go they just kept attacking and attacking and attacking and ripping my clothes apart. "I still got permanent scaring I've got no feeling in the left side of my foot, the plastic surgeon reckons it'll never get any better. "People have been killed by these dogs the quicker they can get rid of them the better.” But Shane Johnson who's a member of the Endangered Dog Breed Association reckons restrictive laws are a waste of time. He's concerned there's still no way to identify a Pit Bull other than its appearance and even then looks can be deceiving. "Who's going to ID them who's going to police it, are they going to have someone at every airport to look at every dog that comes in,” he asks “It looks good on paper but its window dressing at best again by the liberal government." Shane has owned Pit Bulls for the last 20 years. And he reckons the problem isn't the breed of dog, it's the type of owner. "I've found them to be a loyal, dependable, stable dog and there is some dog aggression within the breed but ah there is in a number of breeds that have the same background," he says. "Dogs to me aren't the issue. “We don't have a pit-bull problem, we don't have a dog problem - we have a responsible dog ownership problem."

I didn't know their was one! only that dogsbite propaganda on 'dangerous breeds" from a couple years ago.. Was this in opposition to that propaganda? Video battles lol.

Hi Max, Can you tell me about the articles intent, and by innocent do you mean innocent of causing a danger in the community, yet seized and PTS which is the extermination protocol a couple state governments have in regards to breed. Or innocent as in a mistake has been made in breed ID, and other breeds or X's have been caught up in breed specific legislation dragnet. It will give me an idea of what direction to write. Thanks

When it comes to mix breeds unless you've seen the deed being done you just never know. Even with purebreeds, if they are of a very similar type, or a poor "type" of one breed, they could easily be mistaken for an excellent example of another.

http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/global/...y.asp?s=9711541 Posted: Jan 22, 2009 10:22 AM Updated: Jan 23, 2009 11:54 AM Billings lawmaker proposes pit bull ban Kay Rossi for KXLH in Helena Related Link 2009 MT Legislature - Home A proposal to ban pit bulls in Montana was quickly rejected by the Legislature Thursday, amid criticism it was an ineffective way to deal with the problem of dog attacks. The plan would have allowed the current owners of pit bulls to register their dogs and keep them, but no other pit bulls could be purchased or bred in the state. There would be certain exceptions for dog shows. Critics sharply criticized the proposal; and the House Local Government Committee rejected it on a voice vote about an hour after hearing from dozens of opponents. Lawmakers began discussing the possibility of a substitute plan to increase penalties on the owners of vicious dogs, although no firm initiatives were in place for such a bill. Rep. Robyn Driscoll (D-Billings) proposed the bill that would have banned several types of breeds as well as mutts that are considered "pit bulls" in the proposal. Driscoll said the dogs have been banned in a number of cities and in some other countries. Driscoll said her e-mail has been full of insulting messages from people who oppose her idea. House Bill 191 would have banned Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, American pit bull terriers, American bulldogs as well as "any dog that has been registered at any time as a pit bull terrier or has the physical characteristics that substantially conform to the standards established for the breeds listed in this subsection by the American kennel club or the united kennel club." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A proposal to ban pit bills in Montana is drawing opposition from fans of the breed. A legislative hearing on the idea was packed to overflowing Thursday. Opponents say it is unfair to single out a single breed. Supporters say the state should ban a breed that is responsible for a disproportionally large share of attacks on people. Rep. Robyn Driscoll (D-Billings) proposed the bill that would ban several types of breeds as well as mutts that are considered "pit bulls" in the proposal. Driscoll said the dogs have been banned in a number of cities and in some other countries. Driscoll said, "Are some pit bulls loving companions? Absolutely. But it's important to bear in mind that families that come to a shelter are rarely seeking a pit bull. The vast majority of people who want pit bulls are attracted to the macho image of the breed as a living weapon." Driscoll says there have been two pit bull attacks in her district since 2007. The bill would allow the current owners of pit bulls to register their dog and keep it. But no other pit bulls could be purchased or bred in the state, Driscoll explained. Driscoll said her e-mail has been full of insulting messages from people who oppose her idea. House Bill 191 would ban Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, American pit bull terriers, American bulldogs as well as "any dog that has been registered at any time as a pit bull terrier or has the physical characteristics that substantially conform to the standards established for the breeds listed in this subsection by the American kennel club or the united kennel club." Montana's proposed ban does not apply to people who have owned pit bulls and registered their ownership with the county government and obtained a license tag, identifying the dogs as a registered pit bull dog, on or before the date the bill goes into effect. Also protected under the bill are pit bulls that are being transported through the state and those that are being shown in a dog competition. Pit bulls that are permitted must at all times wear tags that identify them as registered pit bulls, according to the bill. Unless a pit bull meets these exceptions, it will have to be surrendered, under the bill. If a person refuses to surrender the dog, a search warrant can be obtained and the dog can be seized. The dog will then be euthanized within 10 days. Also, expenses incurred by the animal control agency must be paid by the owner of the pit bull dog, the bill states. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (From Jan. 21, 2009) The image of the pit bull has changed drastically over the years. While many may remember lovable Petey on The Little Rascals, their perception of the breed may now include the vicious fighting machines trained by an NFL Superstar who was later sent to prison for the dog fighting ring. Now, a Billings legislator wants the dogs banned in Montana. Robyn Driscoll's bill would give broad authority to police and animal control officers to confiscate and kill pit bulls regardless of behavior. House Bill 191 would ban Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, American pit bull terriers, American bulldogs as well as "any dog that has been registered at any time as a pit bull terrier or has the physical characteristics that substantially conform to the standards established for the breeds listed in this subsection by the American kennel club or the united kennel club." What a dog looks like is a poor indicator of what breed it is and this bill will not prevent attacks, according to Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter Executive Director Margie Taylor. Defending challenges to the law will have a huge financial impact, Taylor added. Montana's proposed ban does not apply to people who have owned pit bulls and registered their ownership with the county government and obtained a license tag, identifying the dogs as a registered pit bull dog, on or before the date the bill goes into effect. Also protected under the bill are pit bulls that are being transported through the state and those that are being shown in a dog competition. Pit bulls that are permitted must at all times wear tags that identify them as registered pit bulls, according to the bill. Unless a pit bull meets these exceptions, it will have to be surrendered, under the bill. If a person refuses to surrender the dog, a search warrant can be obtained and the dog can be seized. The dog will then be euthanized within 10 days. Also, expenses incurred by the animal control agency must be paid by the owner of the pit bull dog, the bill states. Montana's pit bull ban will be considered at a hearing in Helena at 3 p.m. Thursday. Similar bans have already been enacted in places, including Denver, which has one of the harshest bans on the dogs. Nearly 300 dogs have been slaughtered since the ban took effect In Milwaukee a ban had to be expanded to include vicious dogs of any breed

lol maybe maybe not its a pandemic simulation taking into accounts of lobby groups also. Who knows???

BSL Pandemic Artificial simulation model predicting the spread of Breed specific legislation around the world by the year 2022 BSLpandemic.pdf

Remember that Attackchi site? well it was a great web site and I thought I would have a gander and see if any improvements have been made to it ect, loved the costume disguises etc lol. Well anyway www.AttackChi.org.au does not exist anymore it seems ( unless my computer has become possessed or something lol0 but the addy takes you directly to the BSL forum on Dogzonline, how weird is that! It's too bad attackchi isnt around anymore, it was a great informative and FUN site.. Can someone check that its not something going weird with my computer and that the addy takes you directly to DOL too.

Are canine councils really all that powerfull when it comes to overiding any future government legislations? do they really have a voice? I feel public concern and popular opinion would outway that voice. But I do hope to be wrong. Did CCCQ get all huffy over declared dangerous breeds does anyone know? they have at least 12! I went back 7 years into the EDBA forum and couldnt find anything about the CCCQ complaining about it, surely someone would have posted something on the BSL concerns of that canine council..

Cool I dont think I missed much at all. same ole same ole. Dog laws under the spotlight Print Australian Broadcasting Corporation Broadcast: 20/01/2009 Reporter: Danielle Parry When man's best friend turns deadly - should owners be held responsible for dog attacks? Transcript ALI MOORE, PRESENTER: It's estimated Australia has almost four million pet dogs - one of the highest rates of ownership in the world. It's also estimated thousands of people across the country require hospital treatment each year as a result of dog attacks, most of them children. The nation's dog laws are once again under the spotlight after a three year old girl was mauled to death in rural New South Wales earlier this month. Some experts say the answer lies in tighter laws to eliminate aggressive cross breads before they pose a danger but the RSPCA argues it's not the dogs, but the dog owners who should be held accountable. This report from Kirsten Murray and Danielle Parry. My sons all raced past and I couldn't make out what it was and somebody told me that the dogs attacked this little girl. KIRSTEN MURRAY, REPORTER: When Ruby-Lea Burke and her sister arrived at their babysitter's house in the tiny Riverina town of Whitton there was no inkling of the tragedy that was soon to follow. Within minutes the two young girls were mauled by four pet dogs; a savage attack which left the three-year-old dead and her 15-month-old sister injured. Although their father issued a statement saying no one was to blame, the attack has put the issue firmly on the national agenda. MICHAEL DALEY, ACTING NSW LOCAL GOVT. MINISTER: The Government has done its bit and has introduced the toughest, dangerous dog laws in the nation. But we'll take advice from the experts and see if there's anything more that can be done and if there's anything more that can be done the Government, I assure you, will do it. GENIA MCCAFFERY, PRESIDENT, LOCAL GOVT ASSOC NSW: We really do, I think, need to get serious about banning dogs that do have a history of attacks on humans and it's no good having one law in New South Wales and a different one in Victoria. KIRSTEN MURRAY: Laws at the federal, state and council level govern dog importation, ownership and safety. Some believe it's time for a uniform national approach to dog controls. STEVEN COLEMAN, RSPCA NSW: Even just in New South Wales alone with the amount of councils within New South Wales alone there is confusion and, I believe, a level of inconsistency about the way that local government, or companion animal legislation, is actually enforced. We've got dangerous animals moving from one state to another where there's inconsistent requirements to house those animals, so again, it's a recipe for disaster. GENIA MCCAFFERY: You've got to have consistency across the states and, yes, the national laws are the way to go. KIRSTEN MURRAY: Police were forced to open fire on a pack of dogs after they attacked and then bailed up their owner in this Western Sydney house in 2004. Pit Bull crosses were responsible for this attack. It's long been illegal to import Pit Bulls into Australia and they're now banned from breeding in most states. BOB CARR, FORMER NSW PREMIER: Mr Speaker a Pit Bull is a killing machine on a leash. KIRSTEN MURRAY: But cross breads of restricted dogs like Pit Bulls remain an issue. WAYNE ASPLET, ST GEORGE ANIMAL RESCUE: The loophole is basically with the crossbreeding because you don't have to name what it's crossed with. When you go to register your animal you put down whatever it in the mix and people know this so they don't put the restricted part in. KIRSTEN MURRAY: Wayne Asplet has been an animal management officer for three Sydney councils since the 1980s. He says dangerous crossbreeds are slipping through the net because owners lie about their pet's parentage. And he says many council rangers aren't trained well enough to identify dogs that are a potential threat. WAYNE ASPLET: People go out and the people doing their job may not realise what they're looking at or they don't understand what they're doing, and it's not their fault because they've never been trained. GENIA MCCAFFERY: I think it's an incredible impost on our ranges to say to them, I mean, to be almost trained vets. And with a lot of the Cross breeds it's extremely difficult to identify whether they've got this dangerous breed in them. KIRSTEN MURRAY: This Queensland grandfather and grandson know only too well the trauma caused by a dog attack. In 2006 when Rhys Niven was 11, he was mauled by a Rottweiler in suburban Rockhampton. DAVID NIVEN, FATHER: The dog caught hold of Rhys and threw him into the air and left a couple of jagged holes in his inner thigh that required upwards of 42 stitches. RHYS NIVEN, VICTIM OF DOG ATTACK: Really deep wounds in the leg - thigh area. A lot of blood. That's all I really remember about it. I didn't really look when I got bitten, I didn't want to look at the stitches. KIRSTEN MURRAY: The recent attack in the Riverina has prompted them to join councils in a plea for dog owners to lift their game. DAVID NIVEN: My thoughts go out to those people, and my wish is for everybody with dogs to be very careful and make sure they're properly enclosed and if they're a troublesome dog, well seek help in controlling that dog. GENIA MCCAFFERY: We seem to be constantly wanting, sort of, nanny-state stuff. We constantly want the state to fix the problems that we have. But if you have a dog and you know it's got a dangerous breed in it, you should be responsible and you should make sure that that dog is properly contained and can't be accessed by young children. That is your responsibility. JANIKE CHUDLEY: Sit. Good dog. KIRSTEN MURRAY: Janike Chudley takes her responsibilities as a dog owner very seriously. She takes her animals on a 5km walk every day, they're socialised with other dogs and always watched around children. JANIKE CHUDLEY, DOG OWNER: We have a lot of young children coming over through the family and so it's important that my dogs know the right behaviour. PETER HIGGINS, DOGS NSW: They've already been for their walk? KIRSTEN MURRAY: Peter Higgins is a vet and spokesman for Dogs NSW, the state's peak body for breeders. He thinks teaching owners how to properly control their dogs would be more effective that tougher legislation, and he says owners should be offered a carrot to sign up for training. PETER HIGGINS: I think the Governments around Australia should get together and offer incentives for dog owners, like, perhaps reduced costs for registration of dogs. STEVEN COLEMAN: We would agree with that and we'd probably go one step further - we've talked about this for many, many years and some would say, some critics would say, that this is absolutely outrageous - but if people had to be licensed to own a dog the RSPCA would totally support that sort of approach. GENIA MCCAFFERY: I'd be very concerned about us asking every single dog owner to licence their dog when it's only a very small number of breeds that seem to be consistently attacking humans and we're kind of blaming all dogs for those small percentage of breeds that do have this aggressive behaviour. KIRSTEN MURRAY: And that's the challenge facing governments across the country; balancing the rights of responsible dog owners like these against the danger posed by a small minority who are flouting the law. STEVEN COLEMAN: What's important is, once the dust has settled once again, that we stay objective, we stay balanced and try and make decisions excluding emotion, so that in the end we come out with a better result for both animals and their owners. ALI MOORE: That report produced by Danielle Parry.

Well Cal its allways good to be optimistic lol, Australia played follow the leader with these laws way back in 1992, so perhaps they will do the same again? Actually most commonwealth countries played follow the leader at the same time perhaps they will all do that again?

I missed it, thats strange that the RSPCA said that though, because we are allready licenced, we pay for the restricted breed licence, a bit behind the ball me thinks I would have liked to hear what they really meant though .

your not f***in wrong mate and this forum is full of it! people who claim apbt life who dont even abide by the restrictions pipe up and call the responsibility card all the time lol. its a f***in joke.

sydking, let me tell you something, I am only one of 3 people that i know of on this forum of 20,000 members that actually live with the restrictions of having an APBT, and in a 12 yr period across 3 states i can tell you restrictions mean jack shit to the dogs wellbeing or mental stability, like I said before do not worry yourself over restrictions. when/if the time comes to have an assesment deal with it then. But dont worry yourself over it mate. Beau

So should sydking dump the dog? since he's stuffed and all.

Just enjoy your dog mate, it's pretty straight forward and clear cut with the whole registration process, and any assesments that may or may not be needed to be done in the future. No point worrying about it. Just enjoy your dog. Stuffed? i dont know what you mean by that>?

I will watch with one eye open, and the other one half asleep

Nice site, I usually have a good squiz at the Merck Veterinary Manual from time to time it's a pretty comprehensive electronic reference for animal care information. check it out. http://www.merckvetmanual.com

Tougher laws for dangerous dogs 14th January 2009, 6:00 WST WAs dangerous-dog laws will be toughened after it emerged that restricted breeds like American pit bulls are being sold openly because the three-year-old legislation does not include a ban on breeding or selling the targeted species. The crackdown on dangerous dogs by the former Labor government required owners of certain breeds to sterilise pups at six months so the breed would eventually cease. But the law has been undermined by the absence of a ban on imports from other States and difficulties in proving genetically that a dog is of a particular breed. These loopholes and no bans on selling or breeding the animals have allowed the trade in restricted dogs to continue openly. A simple internet search by The West Australian this week revealed sellers and breeders advertising pit bull pups for between $400 and $1800. The current legislation has technical gaps in it, Local Government Minister John Castrilli said. It does not actually say that you cant breed (restricted) dogs. The current laws force owners to fit different collars, get a permit if they own more than two restricted breeds and keep the animals within a secure area. Mr Castrilli wants to ban breeding and selling or giving away the restricted breeds. It will be some time this year, but we are going to make it as tight as possible, he said. Former local government minister Michelle Roberts announced in March 2006 that the Argentinian fighting dog, the filo brasileiro, the tosa inu, the American pit bull and the presa canario would be restricted as part of Labors bid to protect families and children from harm. The pit bull is Australias most common restricted breed. She claimed the new laws would apply to mixed breeds which visibly contain the traits of these restricted breeds. But WA Rangers Association president Samantha Tarling said identification had emerged as a fundamental problem, with WAs chief veterinarian refusing to testify to the DNA of a dog. I once challenged some owners that their dog was a pit bull, she said. They showed me the parents with the paperwork. It was a cross between a boxer and a labrador. I could have sworn it was a pit bull. She said some pit bulls looked like bull mastiffs, a breed that is not restricted. Chief veterinary officer Peter Buckman referred all questions to the Department of Local Government. Endangered Dog Breeds Association spokesman Anthony Melman blasted the proposed amendments. The number of children killed by dogs I can count on one hand, he said. How many children have been killed by their own family members? The West edit; to change title to "breeds'.

The Age Laws won't stop dog attacks: Legislation naming or banning dog breeds considered dangerous is not the definitive answer to deadly attacks, acting NSW Premier Carmel Tebbutt says. Three-year-old Ruby-Lea Bourke was mauled to death by four mixed-breed dogs at the home of her babysitter at Whitton, near Leeton in southern NSW, on Wednesday. The toddler died at the scene and her 16-month-old sister Lilly was also severely mauled about the face and body. The girls had been in the care of a 45-year-old woman, a family friend and the owner of the dogs, while their mother went shopping. Lilly has since been released from Wagga Wagga Base Hospital. "That's a terrible tragedy, I mean you can't just imagine anything worse than where you leave your kids with a neighbour to go off and do your shopping and come back to find this happening," Ms Tebbutt has told Macquarie Radio. "It's just a terrible, terrible tragedy." But media reports that the dogs should have been declared dangerous, under a state government directive issued more than a year ago, did not necessarily mean the child's death could have been prevented, she said. "We are reviewing our dangerous dog laws," Ms Tebbutt said. "My understanding is there are five breeds of dog that have been restricted but where the difficulty arises is sometimes with crossbreeds." A directive circulated to councils in 2007 encourages rangers to be pro-active about checking suspicious animals, The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported. The five breeds identified as dangerous, are: American pit bull terrier, Japanese tosa, Argentine fighting dog, Brazilian fighting dog, and perro de presa canario. "I do think that legislation itself is not going to stop a dog problem like this," Ms Tebbutt said. "People need to make sure that they take responsibility for their dogs. All sorts of dogs can be involved in serious incidents. "There is a legislative response but there's also a dog owner response." Three of the four dogs involved in Wednesday's attack were found dead on Thursday after being held at the local pound. According to a council ranger, they died from a combination of sedative drugs, heat stress and obesity. edit; for bolding

some dog bite stat table from NSW 07 I dont know if thats the sort of thing you were after. you will have to rotate it. dogs_table.pdf

also in emergency centres stats are recorded,, fella with half an arm missing gets asked the question 'so what sort of dog was it.'

Dosnt asslet also have an interest in building RB dog enclosures? big money spinner no wonder he wants to see every breed go that path. I rembember the StackHat debarkle long ago, a vested interest by a single solitary MP in them, thats how we got the bicycle helmet laws. When they came in you could only ever buy a white or canary yellow Stackhat helmet. Theres gotta be money in it for someone. And that MP cleaned up big time for a couple years. I see a correlation here.

not even that mate, dog is a dog is a dog. whether it hunts pigs for a crust or not.

Yes you can they are just snap frozen sardines, i call them Pillies (Pilchards) better than tinned crap IMO and cheeper to boot.