Erny

.... except, the way I read it, it is being altered from the previous mandatory 8 days DOWN to 48 hours. That's if, of course, the Council Officer didn't think the dog having a bark at him/her was enough to be considered menacing and a threat to imminent injury, in which case he can choose to euth without any time frame elapsing. This is my understanding of it. I've worked on this in such a rush it was a matter of choice : Read it all completely thoroughly OR do up a letter and send it out. Because I couldn't do both and there is an urgency behind it, I read quickly and wrote quickly. Don't like doing things that way, but Govt process doesn't really care about the fact that this is not a full time paid job for us, but of course it is for them.

Good onya, CM. Every one voice is an extra to the mix. Don't worry about writing skills. And don't worry that you live outside Vic. Thanks for contributing .

Thanks Steve. Every bit helps. I guess they'll know why they'll be losing even more voters' support, when the election time comes around, if they don't stop hurting us to the point of extinction, through the sheer suffocation of all their prohibitive and "killing" laws.

There's a question mark over whether this Bill has been "passed" or not. I just simply haven't had a chance to go searching for the nitty gritties, but someone else has and I'm told by him that it has NOT been "passed". Wrongly reported as "passed". So PLEASE do not think this is a lost cause. Mind you, funny (not) how it didn't surprise me that a Govt could "pass" a Bill but adjourn discussion about it until later. My first thought on that notion was .... "typical".

Gilypoo .... Hoping with my heart that it won't be what it sounds. Hoping.

THAT's the attitude I take. Don't get me wrong - I don't go around holding my breath. But I do go around saying (at least to myself) ..... "I tried". No one can ask more than that. Better than apathy.

Hi Steve - the link doesn't work. Looking for the doco which refers to : Urgently.

I'm presuming that "TV Hounds" (refer 1st link in OP) would be using some of the comments being posted on their site (just guessing at that - haven't had a chance to speak with Debbie in that respect) so in addition to letters, a comment (as one might comment to a news article) in their site might also help.

Careful. I got so used to calling him that, that by slip of tongue that's how his name came out when I went to Parliament and spoke with a polly there and presented the Petition. Oops . It was such an honest mistake, the polly had a good laugh. LOL

Hey BD. Doubt that I'll get a chance. I'm panicking at the fact that this week (of all the weeks ) I've got so many commitments on it's not funny. I'll give them a ring though and see what I can muddle. Thing is with this one is that it's not really 'my baby' - IE Unlike the PPCollar campaign, where I pretty much knew the laws inside out, upside down, all the readings etc. etc. by Govt (after 3 years of work, one could expect a more thorough knowledge) ..... I haven't had time to get 'into' this one. So I'm skim reading and responding as best I can from what I have absorbed. What's the earliest time you'd be able to make a meeting? Not sure what I can tell them, other than what's written. And yes, it did cross my mind to wander whether DogsVic might venture to be pro-active and stand up for us doggy members and our dogs.

Not sure what you mean by your question, Chewbacca. Here is my letter. It is 4 pages long (sorry ). I don't want to bog down DOL with it so if Troy prefers or asks, I'll remove it. But maybe its contents will help clarify. I also need to add a disclaimer. I haven't had enough time myself to pour through word for word the proposed amendment. Also, my letter is probably my worst work yet - only for the matter of the haste that I've had to give it. It is at least something, but I hate the fact that I know I could do much, much better. In this case, I've allowed my distress emotion to creep in.

Hey, Chewbacca. Thanks. Chewbacca, or anyone else ..... If you want to email me ERNY and I'll try to email to you my contact list for MLC's to send it to (I'm sending it to two MLA's as well : Joe Helper and John Brumby Premier). As I've mentioned, I've not done that before but I'm sure I saw something that indicated I could send email addresses to others. Not sure if it will work for a distribution list though, but I can give it a go. Just to make things a bit easier, I'm including a link to the names and contacts of the MLC's in Vic Govt MLC Member List Here's a copy of the "Statement of Compatibility" made by Mr Helper to Parliament. I'm afraid I'm all over the shop on this one myself - simply because of my panic in trying to do everything at once (including understanding it all) to be in time to submit my letter.

No responses? No comments? ..... is anyone out there going to do something? Am I one of just two or three? Help? I've just spent an age loading a list of MLC's emails into my outlook express address book. Maybe I can send anyone who's interested a copy of it, so save them looking and loading. Not sure how transferring that info works and whether it is easy or not, but am willing to try if it makes someone elses busy lives easier, for the want of letters reaching these people in time before they debate on Thursday.

*Bump* Concerning these latest amendments, they have only been passed by the lower house and now need to be introduced into the upper house to be debated and passed, and then given royal assent, before they become law. We need to seek out members in the upper house, expressing our concerns, as they are the ones who vote on whether the law should be passed (or as debate has not concluded in the lower house, maybe seeking out your local member so they can raise issues on your behalf). Please don't ignore this until the regulation/law is passed and granted royal assent. ACTION NOW, is required - it doesn't matter how good a letter writer you are or are not. Just let your concerns be known. URGENTLY Posting a response to the "TV Hound" site I linked is also likely to be helpful. Please don't be backwards in having your say. Pretend as if you are posting in a DOL thread . LOL .... except keep it polite and address it to your polly .

She could be tired. LOL

This report has saved me a little bit of work as I have been trying to juggle a number of things at once and making really slow progress. It fast tracks things a bit by linking the report here. The intro is copy/pasted to give you the idea of what it is about, but it would be good if you would link to the site and read through. I haven't finished reading it all myself but as this is an urgent matter requiring urgent action, I thought I'd post it up here. It is ironic that this is a dangerous law .......... proposed under "dangerous" dog act. Sometimes I wonder who should be declared the more dangerous - the dogs, or the law-makers. But anyway, it needs letters. I've almost done mine - it's a few pages (because that's just my style) and it's not a documentary as such, it is all words coming from the heart but spelling it out to Mr. Brumby/Mr. Helper/Parliament where and how it can and will be so wrong, and how it will hurt the wrong dogs and the wrong people. So, once again, fellow Victorians (and any one else who will help us plead our cases and objections .... gawd, needing to fight these stupidities are such time wasters ), please put pen to paper and write down your thoughts about this proposed law. Let the politicians know your dissatisfaction and objections. I'll post up my letter once I've completed it. People can perhaps gain some ideas just to start themselves off from there. I plan to send mine not only to Joe Helper and John Brumby, but also to send a copy of it with a short covering letter to as many MP's as I possibly can. I'm also in the throws of organising a petition, but there is no way I will have that ready to rock and roll before 20th May (to my knowledge Victoria hasn't changed its draconian laws of petition since the last I did one, which means no electronic signatures - everything original and snail mail) ..... at the very least the petition will bring awareness of this idiotic and dangerous law to the attention of many (and it is an election year ) and if the Law goes ahead, I can lodge the petition in Parliament to register our objections. It's going to be debated in Parliament on 20th May - that's 3 days' time. They don't give people, who have to work and don't get paid to try to sort out s*%t laws before they happen (or after) ..... unlike the pollies who get paid well for the s*%t laws they conjure up, very much time to have a fair go. : Please read on for more information : Proposed Bill on (not really) Dangerous Dog Law - Victoria (where else? ) Edited to add - this thread has become really long, and rambles its way through trying to understand what the heck is going on. Post #49 Page 4 provides people with a very basic short letter they can send in. Post #49 Page 4 provides people with a link to someone else's response they should attach with that very basic short letter. Post #49 Page 4 provides people with a link to the contact information for all Members of Legislative Assembly, which is who we need to be writing into. Post #150 Page 10 provides people with a letter (by me) which poses questions to Govt. Use it to help you form your own, of even copy/paste it and attach it to your covering email, telling all the MLA's that you too want direct, clear and succinct answers to them (as opposed to standard 'groomed' letters which skirt around answering anything). Post #283 Page 19 is a summary (as best as I can give it) of the proposed Bill, based on the Parliamentary Library Research Brief - the link for which has somehow disappeared and is made dysfunctional. Gremlins or intentional, I don't know. Please note that I'm still working my way through the brief and will be continuing to update Post #283 as I go. So please keep checking into it. There's a note on the bottom of the post that tells you what page of the Brief I'm up to, so you'll know when I am completed. As best I can be.

A dustpan works a treat. Slides neatly from behind and underneath, yet with it tilted slightly, it holds more than you will require for a urine test. Easy to transfer to a proper urine sample container too, as you can pour from one of the side corners. My previous girl (bhcs) used to squat fairly low, so a container with four sides to it made it a bit awkward to nick it quickly and surreptitiously underneath. Just make sure you've washed the dustpan thoroughly before you use it to collect the sample.

Sorry to hear this news. Was so hoping Tyson would be able to recover without needing the intervention of this surgery.

Does to me, because the dog has more freedom of its front end (ie whole of neck) and head. Nah .... I take a lot of precautions into account. But I weigh things up and assess likelihood and level of risk -vs- benefit for what I want and need to do. ..... you don't sound like you're a good (read : safe) person to be around, Corvus. Somewhat accident prone? No cliffs around here and if there is, I'll steer clear .

Oops! Sorry, forgot to look at OP's location. Then a vibration collar would be the way to go. Stupid, isn't it? I mean, what if the dog was to respond better and more calmly to the low e-stim tingle than the vibration, but just because of silly supposed "welfare" laws, we aren't always permitted the freedom of considering the dog's welfare first and foremost.

It depends on what the xrays show, I guess, but if they were to show vertibrae damage (hope not) then maybe PM Mr R & NR (DOL member) - she'll let you know her recent experience with her dog's (permanent) neck injury (and maybe even past experiences) treatment. I'm dobbing her in, so please apologise upfront on my behalf for doing so. I'm sure she'll understand and not mind. Hopefully for your dog it is simply a matter of manipulation to put back what might have gone out of place. A good Vet/chiro is a person's whose assistance and expertise is what I'd be seeking. My previous girl (bhcs) hurt herself by crashing in to me one day (we both tried to avoid a head on colision with each other but at the last moment both stepped in the same sideways direction, and she went off yelping - I heard the 'crunch' .... she was sore after that but a visit to the chiro had that seen to rights and we had no ongoing issues in that respect).

I'd prefer to use that "excess energy" and channel it INTO obedience practice, with a great energetic game of something they enjoy (tug/drive satisfaction; ball throw; etc) as the dog's reward for performing obedience, rather than needing to rely on dogs to get rid of energy before they'll do so.

Some dogs find the vibration sensation more alarming than the tingle of a low level stim.

Perhaps this sort of thing is happening to you as much, BECAUSE you are running her on a harness, where maybe it is less likely if your dog were trained to a neck type collar? Must admit that in all my years, that hasn't happened to me - not whilst running and not so dramatically as to hurt my dog. I trained my boy to understand that he needs to be on the same side of posts/trees etc as myself. Don't know why it hasn't happened to me - maybe I've been sub-consciously aware of the possibility (neck type collar aside - I don't want to go A over T myself!) and am lined up sufficiently where it won't happen . Or maybe I don't run enough . And the only times (twice in all the years) I've had a dog 'charging', I've been able to notice in time and stepped in, rather than needing to "swing" my dog away. Perhaps I'm not going to the places where you go (or similar) where this is as likely to occur. Don't like the idea of going anywhere where I have to worry about what equipment I've got on my dog 'in case a dog charges at us'.

I must admit I prefer the direct (person to person) approach, but it is a situation that you need to assess for yourself. Pity those days of talking to one's neighbours is becoming extinct. I understand the reasons, but it does seem to be forever spiralling away that I fear it will never return. IMO it does come from living more and more on top of each other than we ever did. Me? If I'd not met them yet, I'd probably do the 'cake' thing, or take them a bag of lemons from my tree. Introduce myself, then apologise that I need to mention that there's a couple of problems that you're not sure they're aware of, one of them being the parking where they do, which is blocking your OH from parking there and the other being that their dog is causing you some disturbance for barking so much - and that you love dogs and would be happy to help them out in a neighbourly way if they need you to. I guess I'd not raise the rubbish bin issue. Instead, for the time being, can you put your rubbish bins out of the way where they can't get them, bringing them out only for rubbish bin night? If you keep that up for a while, it might be all that is needed to give them the hint. Any possibility the people might be deaf and don't realise the dog is barking?