Dog Attacks Leap From Three To 18 In Three Months

[Teebs]

http://www.centralwesterndaily.com.au/news/local/news/general/dog-attacks-leap-from-three-to-18-in-three-months/2360649.aspx

ORANGE has recorded a worrying spike in dog attacks, new figures show.

Eighteen dog attacks were reported in the Orange council area for the three months to September 30, up from just three for the previous quarter.

Four people were involved in serious dog attacks and three people in less serious attacks, while a total of 22 animals were attacked.

These included the two pet cats of elderly Orange woman Nancy Neville, who were attacked and killed by dogs at her Woodward Street home in August.

The 18 dog attacks for the September quarter is easily the highest number recorded in the Orange area since the Division of Local Government began publishing quarterly reports.

Orange recorded just four dog attacks in the March quarter this year, and seven attacks in the both the December and September quarters in 2010.

But the area was not alone, with the DLG figures showing dog attack rises across most Central Western council areas.

In Bathurst, there were seven dog attacks in the September quarter, up from four in the previous three months.

Two people were involved in serious attacks and eight animals were attacked.

It was a similar story in Dubbo where there 24 attacks (up from 15), including 14 attacks involving people.

There were 27 dogs attacks in the Cowra council area (up from 20), 10 in Lithgow (up from four), and one each in the Blayney and Oberon areas.

Across the state, there 1624 dog attacks reported in the September quarter, up from 1348 for the previous three months.

About 400 attacks involved more than one dog, while 756 attacks involved adults and 201 attacks involved children aged up to 16.

Staffordshire bull terriers were responsible for 216 attacks across the state, followed by Australian cattle dogs (106), American Staffordshire terriers (87) and German shepherds (86).

The Division of Local Government also publishes microchipping figures, which again showed Bathurst was leading the way among central West council areas.

There are 13,541 dogs microchipped in the Bathurst region, 13,214 in Dubbo and 12,466 in Orange.

[Teebs]

and another also in todays paper

http://www.centralwesterndaily.com.au/news/local/news/general/changes-to-dog-attack-laws/2360599.aspx

Changes to dog attack laws

BY NADINE MORTON

17 Nov, 2011 04:00 AM

THE recent spike in Orange dog attacks can be explained by a re-classification of what an attack is, according to Orange City Council.

Council previously only classified an attack as an occasion when a person or animal was bitten, however this changed about 12 months ago.

Corporate and community relations manager Nick Redmond said council had chosen to re-classify what an attack was to more closely comply with the act.

“In the past we’ve taken the view that an attack is to a person or animal,” he said.

Council now classifies a dog rushing at, attacking, biting, harassing or chasing a person or animal as an attack under the changes.

“Once we started recording it this way there was an expectation the statistics would increase,” Mr Redmond said.

He said despite the recorded increase, the number of actual bites by a dog have remained steady in Orange.

Under council guidelines once a dog has bitten a person or animal the dog’s owners are faced with two choices.

They can either surrender their dog to be put down by council or keep their dog and have it classified as a dangerous dog, with tough restrictions imposed.

“There are still too many dog attacks in Orange ... it wouldn’t happen if people took more responsibility for their dogs,” he said.

“I don’t think there would be anyone that wouldn’t know they need to have their dog on a lead once it leaves your property.”

[Keira&Phoenix]

Just more proof that BSL doesn't work and that we need to start legislating against bad owners.

[TheCoat]

Council now classifies a dog rushing at, attacking, biting, harassing or chasing a person or animal as an attack under the changes.

Personally I think unless someone can provide evidence of an attack, bites, broken flesh etc, anything else is a load of crap statistically. I was rushed at by a young Labrador a couple of weeks ago, she was off leash, owners didn't see me coming and I was severely licked trying to grab her collar for the owners to round her up, owners were at fault which I pointed out to them, but it's hardly a dog attack?

[freundhund]

Problem is a lot of the general public don't recognise play behaviour between dogs, they don't recognise friendly behavior towards them by large dogs. Also ZI have spoken to a council ranger that I know who advised me with the way the Dangerous Dog Act is written, people are using it in place of the old fences dispute or the trees overshadowing the yard situation.

So that if there is an dispute invoving neighbours, rangers get a lot of complaints about dogs barking, then it will esculate to they are scared of the dog.

[TheCoat]

Problem is a lot of the general public don't recognise play behaviour between dogs, they don't recognise friendly behavior towards them by large dogs. Also ZI have spoken to a council ranger that I know who advised me with the way the Dangerous Dog Act is written, people are using it in place of the old fences dispute or the trees overshadowing the yard situation.

So that if there is an dispute invoving neighbours, rangers get a lot of complaints about dogs barking, then it will esculate to they are scared of the dog.

Yeah, it can get a bit silly, someone around the corner from us had a ranger visit from complaints of her dog barking and banging at the gate which backs onto a walk way. The dog is a Rottweiler and people feared he may break down the gate and "get em" I guess, she's like WTF he can't get out no way, but she was read the "fear factor" routine that her dog could be declared dangerous rushing at a gate and you can't see the dog from the walk way at all, don't know how the complainants knew the dog was a Rotty?

[greytpets]

It seems to me that people are becoming much more sensitive about dogs full stop. And yes, they have become the latest thing to complain about.

[KOE]

More people are now reporting

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

Council now classifies a dog rushing at, attacking, biting, harassing or chasing a person or animal as an attack under the changes.

“Once we started recording it this way there was an expectation the statistics would increase,” Mr Redmond said.

So the headline "dog attacks leap" is a bit of a leap itself. If they hadn't changed the counting method the number of attacks would have been about the same. A bit like the way employed people get counted eg if you do one hour of (unpaid) work, you're suddenly "employed" not "unemployed".

[TheCoat]

Council now classifies a dog rushing at, attacking, biting, harassing or chasing a person or animal as an attack under the changes.

“Once we started recording it this way there was an expectation the statistics would increase,” Mr Redmond said.

So the headline "dog attacks leap" is a bit of a leap itself. If they hadn't changed the counting method the number of attacks would have been about the same. A bit like the way employed people get counted eg if you do one hour of (unpaid) work, you're suddenly "employed" not "unemployed".

Yes, we will see more GSD and Rotty "attacks" recorded from a bit of predisposition in the breed to move people on who don't belong, bit of fence running and some noise. I remember as a kid there was a bi colour GSD at the corner house up the road who used to jump the front fence and have a bark if we hung around on the corner, we were scared of him and moved on, but he never attacked anyone, just came out to express his view of the rules if we hung around at the front of his place?

[WreckitWhippet]

More people are now reporting

Yes and no. It's more likely that since mandatory reporting by councils has come into place and all councils have now been audited, there has been a sharp jump in the last couple of years. Watch the stats for the next couple and see where they head.

[Trisven13]

Problem is a lot of the general public don't recognise play behaviour between dogs, they don't recognise friendly behavior towards them by large dogs. Also ZI have spoken to a council ranger that I know who advised me with the way the Dangerous Dog Act is written, people are using it in place of the old fences dispute or the trees overshadowing the yard situation.

So that if there is an dispute invoving neighbours, rangers get a lot of complaints about dogs barking, then it will esculate to they are scared of the dog.

Yeah, it can get a bit silly, someone around the corner from us had a ranger visit from complaints of her dog barking and banging at the gate which backs onto a walk way. The dog is a Rottweiler and people feared he may break down the gate and "get em" I guess, she's like WTF he can't get out no way, but she was read the "fear factor" routine that her dog could be declared dangerous rushing at a gate and you can't see the dog from the walk way at all, don't know how the complainants knew the dog was a Rotty?

I have to confess that I find a dog charging at a fence and barking aggressively intimidating and I too worry that the fence will hold it - don't care what breed but I think that is intimidating. FWIW I also hate it when dogs, of all sizes, go ballistic in their crates when people go past so I can see where non-doggy people might find it intimidating charges a fence every time people walk on a footpath past their house.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

GSD at the corner house up the road who used to jump the front fence and have a bark

Most of us are not doggy mind readers. How is someone who doesn't know the dog know it's not going to attack if it JUMPS THE FENCE.

And there was a fairly recent case (in the last couple of years) of a dog breaking the front fence and then killing multiple SWF and biting the elderly owner. If the dogs weren't allowed to rush the fence - could that have been prevented?

I'm pretty sure in the eyes of the media today: GSD = shaggy pitbull and Rottie = black and tan pitbull. :S

[TheCoat]

GSD at the corner house up the road who used to jump the front fence and have a bark

Most of us are not doggy mind readers. How is someone who doesn't know the dog know it's not going to attack if it JUMPS THE FENCE.

And there was a fairly recent case (in the last couple of years) of a dog breaking the front fence and then killing multiple SWF and biting the elderly owner. If the dogs weren't allowed to rush the fence - could that have been prevented?

I'm pretty sure in the eyes of the media today: GSD = shaggy pitbull and Rottie = black and tan pitbull. :S

The point I am making Mrs RB is that unless a dog makes contact and injures a person, it can't be recored as an attack to paint the correct picture of what's happening in the community. You can't have a set of attack stats that feature 100 dog attacks last month, 99 were dogs rushing fences and 1 was a bite causing injury, in effect there was 1 dog attack last month, not 100 is what I am talking about?

People who run red lights have the potential to cause fatal accidents, but they don't gather up the red light infringements and record them as fatal accidents, they shouldn't IMHO record dog attacks unless a dog makes contact with someone and causes injury?

Edited November 20, 2011 by TheCoat