news, act-politics

An independent review into the ACT's dog management has praised the territory for not banning or restricting certain breeds of dogs classified as dangerous in other jurisdictions. The report - which was delivered to the government in April - was released on Monday and outlines 34 recommendations for Domestic Animal Services. The review was completed by a panel of four with experience in animal welfare, legal representation of dog owners involved in attacks, veterinary science and dog management. The report's release comes days before the opposition is set to introduce proposed laws to the ACT Legislative Assembly designed to make dog owners more accountable for attacks. The review panel praised the ACT for not introducing breed specific legislation which would place restrictions on dog breeds deemed dangerous. In most states, certain dog breeds must be desexed, muzzled and leashed when in public and cannot be bred or sold. "Concerningly, breed specific legislation provides a false indication to the community that some breeds of dogs are ‘safer’ than others," the report read. "The reality is all dogs bite and can be dangerous if not managed appropriately. "It is unanimously recommended that any proposal to introduce breed specific legislation should beresisted." Among the key recommendations was considering yearly registration of dogs, instead of the current system where a dog only has to be registered once in its lifetime. The panel also suggested introducing a system to identify dogs publicly based on their sociability, which would be used to grant access to certain public areas. The report urged Domestic Animal Services to ensure victims of dog attacks are kept informed about the progress of investigations and outcomes of decisions. It also recommended it collected data more effectively to determine the actual registration rates, dangerous dog statistics, bite incidents and animal cruelty cases. The report said Domestic Animal Services must have the ability to legally seize dogs for public safety, but it urged against seizing dogs involved in a minor incident or less serious attack. It urged dogs which were seized to be released once the risk it posed to other people or animals was contained. The report said the decision to destroy a dog should not be made by a single vote or single body, for example, a local government council. The reviewers said investigations into dog attacks should be made according to police-type best practices and where possible should be completed within four weeks. "This timeframe also limits the length of time a dog may be in the care of [Domestic Animal Services]," the report said. The report called on the government to allow DNA evidence in dog attacks to allow owners to defend allegations. The panel suggested developing the "Canberra Model" for dog management to enable the territory to be an Australian and international leader by working with and understanding the drivers for the Canberra community. Minister for City Services Chris Steel said many of the 34 recommendations had already been put into action. “The report acknowledges that [Domestic Animal Services] has made a concerted effort over the past 12 months to improve animal management and welfare practices, improve public amenity and keep the community safe and these efforts are to be congratulated," he said. “I am keen to develop the ‘Canberra Model’ for dog management and set ourselves a target of being the best by actioning the recommendations in the review and working with the community." In December 2017, the ACT government introduced legislation to help protect the community from dangerous dogs and to hold irresponsible dog owners accountable. Last year, The Canberra Times reported the number of dog attacks in Canberra appeared to be on the rise with a fourfold increase in investigations in just five years.

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