New Proposed Dangerous Dog Laws Vic

[Andrea&John]

would be interesting to get an idea about how many people actually objected the laws.

We wrote 14 emails and posted 12 letters by mail.

It actually seems some of the recipients can be pretty supportive if you get on to the right ones..

in case someone missed it, Erny summed it up nicely

http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=196172

ETA "No, they do what they want anyway"

Edited May 19, 2010 by Andrea&John

[Erny]

Good on you, A&J

Only two people have shown as having written a letter though . Hope the lack of numbers is only due to people having dinner and not having caught this thread. .......... Or perhaps being too busy writing letters .

Cheers

Erny

[Andrea&John]

From a friends signature on a (sports related) forum - if you fight you might loose, if you don't fight you've lost already..

Maybe no one of the politicians really cares. But IMO it is too important not to try. And I really start to worry about every dog with a big head

And all it costs is little time

[Erny]

Sometimes I wonder if Victoria is as bad as it is for all its prohibitive and stifling laws, because Victorians aren't really great at jumping in and literally "doing" things for change, or to prevent the problematic and unfair (in terms of animal welfare and towards people) laws that are proposed.

I know there are other people out there who are doing something constructive in an attempt to point out to Government why these proposed laws are wrong, but all in all I see so much more active responses from other States than I do here.

Maybe not everyone who is doing stuff about it are actually coming on to DOL for us to know, and I know that DOL does not represent the whole of the Victorian community, but all the same, I know there are many more Victorians out there who don't agree with the laws, so I would have thought we could expect more responses to these threads and indication of activity.

Come on Victorians. There are good people working really hard on this. But numbers are needed. You're a voter, so that means YOU .

[Erny]

if you fight you might loose, if you don't fight you've lost already..

I like that quote and I've already used it since . Thanks A&J

[HeavyPaws]

I wrote to quite a few, just the same letter basically but with differences regarding names, places, etc.

I need to help out with this stuff too, even though I don't own a restricted breed.

Today it's their breed and I can point the finger like everyone else, but when the day comes that it's my breed on the chopping block, and everyone's pointing the finger at me, I know who really caused the problems for my dog. Me, for not standing up when the foundations were being set.

[Erny]

Thanks HeavyPaws.

This new law, if it passes, though, won't be confined to restricted or certain breeds. Everyone or anyone's dog could be affected by one or more of these amendments in law at some stage in its life. So it really is something that everyone who owns a dog in Victoria should be concerned about.

Appreciate the fact that perhaps without even realising this, you wrote off anyway.

Edited May 21, 2010 by Erny

[cavNrott]

I voted that I've written to 1-10MP's. I exaggerated a bit as I am just doing the writing as we speak but they will be sent emails and hard copies.

I'm in Victoria.

[Erny]

Oh! Looky here! I found this thread sitting on page 2. Fancy :p.

[cavNrott]

Found this quote today:-

If you fight you might lose - If you don't fight you've already lost.

C'mon guys, lets fight this one. We might win.

[Erny]

Lordy!! I found this thread languishing on page THREE !!!! :D :D (that's twice as many " 's " as I gave when the 'other' related thread was found on page 2 !!!

And going by this poll, only 7 Victorian DOLS have written into the Government !! That's worth 100 x 's !!!

Come on guys. Please? I don't want to kick your butts into action (:D) and have you hate me for it, but we have to HELP OURSELVES. If we don't do that, how can we possibly expect anyone else to???

Just in case you don't know where the 'other' thread is ........................

Here it Is

Edited May 25, 2010 by Erny

[Trisven13]

Well Andrea&John have been very busy and very proactive - I hope other's follow their lead. . A meeting next week with the local member is planned so I hear. Well done guys, particularly when you don't own a breed likely to be impacted by these changes.

[Erny]

Well Andrea&John have been very busy and very proactive - I hope other's follow their lead. . A meeting next week with the local member is planned so I hear. Well done guys, particularly when you don't own a breed likely to be impacted by these changes.

Yes! Well done A&J . I'll be looking forward to hearing the outcome of the meeting.

Trisven13 - many seem to think that these new proposed laws are going to impact only or mainly certain breeds. To the contrary, these new laws can and will affect ANY breed. ALL breeds.

It affects us ALL !! This should not be a 'fight' just for certain breeds of dogs. This should be a 'fight' for all our dogs. Every Victorian dog-owner carries the same potential to be affected by these proposed laws regardless of the breed of dog they own!

[Trisven13]

I will be attending the meeting with A&J. Erny - do you want to give me a buzz or I will ring you and run through with me some of the things we really need to address.

I will need to read through the proposed changes better but I would love some pointers on the things that are of the highest priority.

[Erny]

I will be attending the meeting with A&J. Erny - do you want to give me a buzz or I will ring you and run through with me some of the things we really need to address.

I will need to read through the proposed changes better but I would love some pointers on the things that are of the highest priority.

I don't mind at all if you ring me but to be honest I think the best person to contact would be Mike (GoodforDogs) as he seems to have a better grip on the proposed laws than I.

I never intended to be at the healm of this 'campaign' but emails and contact came my way and I felt like it just needed someone to kick start it - I am in the midst of another project not to mention trying to finalise some other plans that have been in the pipeline for ages for me, and are now close to needing to be completed. Consequently I don't believe that I have any more knowledge and understanding of the laws other than what's already been addressed here and in Mike's "Response to Government".

I think the questions that Steve has written in her post in the 'other' thread (which I've copied/pasted below) are good ones as well and I already intend to formulate yet another letter to Government encompassing those, and to send them to the same pollies I have already addressed in this matter.

ETA: Trisven13 ..... good on you for attending the meeting with A&J

Steve :

In the rescue forum -relating to the proposed legislation with shelters and pounds I asked Why does a government care if a foster carer keeps a dog for 6 months before it goes to a new home? Why does a government care if baby puppies are sent home with someone to try to save them?

Now here I ask what does a government care what breed a dog is ? If its dangerous then its dangerous. Why does a government need or want for that matter legislation which is breed specific?

What's in it for the government to bring in laws which allow dogs to be put down sooner ? The community isnt at risk while they hang onto a dog for a few more days. Who stands to gain from this? Same answer as the question pertaining to foster carers - The only ones who stand to gain are the pounds and shelters.

All I see is less accountability to the people who donate funds to them and more money for the government.The unintended consequences of higher fines etc is more dogs left in pounds = more money even if they are killed and higher revenue from fines.

Plain and simple its about who is piddling in who's pockets because it makes no sense whats so ever for a government to make laws about how long a foster carer can look after an animal or about whether baby puppies can be helped. In the year 2010 fo any governemnet to stick to a concept of breed specific legislation all it does is demonstrate their ignorance and rather than be part of the solution they are part of the problem.

the solution

Allow pounds and shelters to put their own policies in place and be trasparent about those polices to allow people to be aware of them before they donate.

if they dont have policies designed to cut down killrates etc then donors will put their money some place else.

Allow all dogs regardless of breed to be treated equally with a fair and reasonable system in place for temp testing and mandatory holding times.

When a dog is found at large unless it is judged to be potentially dangerous because of its behaviour give them a free ride home the first time and counsel the owners about how to prevent it happening again. If it is judged to be potentailly dangerous because of its behaviour give it a fair assessment over a reasonable time frame.

Edited May 25, 2010 by Erny

[Andrea&John]

No, we don't own any dogs that are likely to be mistaken for restricted breeds and our rangers actually seem to be very reasonable people so I'm not overly worried about our dogs at this stage.

But that's not the point. If only people worry who are highly likely to be affected directly then we will never get anywhere.

I think the laws are wrong and would badly affect people and their pets. And I don't want to end up with a "not for sale" sign on every second pen at the pound..

Great to get some help from the other side of the border Trisven

[Erny]

*bumpy*

[Kelpie-i]

I cut-pasted the same letter so all the MP's on your list Erny and then I wrote another one and cut-pasted that one as well.

[Erny]

Hey Kelpie-i .... .

With the submissions that have been made and the great points that have been raised, the only reason I can see for the State Labor Government insisting on passing the Bill is going to be one of sheer arrogance and bloody-mindedness, with not an ounce of real concern for the people who appointed them to Government in the first place.

State Elections are in November.

[Erny]

We're sitting on TWELVE Victorian DOL people who have written at least one letter to the MP's. Well done to them (which includes me, LOL) .

Anyone else who perhaps haven't marked themselves in to the Poll stats?

Edited May 27, 2010 by Erny