comment, editorial

Canberrans love their dogs and, according to the experts, there could be more than 120,000 currently in residence. That is roughly one for every three people in the territory. With Canberra's human and canine populations increasing at roughly the same rates an ever increasing number of dogs and dog owners are turning up to share the same, already well used, recreational spaces including walking tracks, parks and reserves and designated off-leash areas. We also see dogs, many of whom are now accorded the status of privileged family members, on our footpaths, in our hotel beer gardens, at chic sidewalk cafes and outside shops and supermarkets on a daily basis. None of this would present a problem if every dog owner kept their animals under control at all times as required by the law. Unfortunately, and sometimes tragically, this does not happen. This paper has reported on dozens of incidents in recent years in which fatal, or near fatal, attacks have been committed on other animals and even humans. The most recent case to make the headlines involved an Alaskan malamute which broke into the yard next door and seriously mauled a much loved shih tzu. The owners of the malamute have been ordered to pay the owners of the shih tzu an estimated $14,000 by the ACT Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal. Another report, published in the same issue of The Canberra Times, highlighted the tensions that can erupt when dogs and humans are brought into close proximity. The owners of Ruby, a dachshund labrador cross, noticed their pet was limping. The examining vet discovered she had been shot and that there was still a bullet lodged in her leg. While Ruby barked only rarely she had obviously incurred someone's extreme displeasure. Other dog shootings and even poisonings with baited meat had been reported in the same area before. Actions such as these can never be accepted or justified; people who are willing to inflict cruelty on animals often go on to do the same to other people. While the ACT government has passed numerous rules and regulations governing the ways in which dogs and humans can interact, including new fines of up to $3200 for acts of neglect or cruelty, these are not a solution in themselves. A prerequisite for harmonious relations is for dog owners to wake up to the fact that while they may regard their pet as "furry family" the creature is an animal and, as such, cannot be held responsible for its actions. Legal liability rests entirely with the owner or the person responsible for the animal from day to day. Dog ownership is a major commitment that should never be taken lightly given the ability of any pet pooch, regardless of size or age, to inflict harm on a person or another animal. If you own a dog you must have it under control at all times, whether that be secured in its own backyard, on a walk down the street or in a designated off-leash dog park. If dog owners don't heed this message, which has been repeated time and time again, they will only have themselves to blame when regulations are enforced more rigorously and fines and penalties are increased.

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