ation after ten German Shepherds spotted on boat at The Spit

Police say there is ‘no immediate welfare concerns’ in regards to a boat which has up to 10 ‘aggressive’ German Shepherds living on board. Read what they said

RSPCA Queensland have launched an investigation after ten German Shepherds were spotted on a boat at The Spit. Photo: Facebook

Police say there is “no immediate welfare concerns” in regards to a boat which has up to 10 “aggressive” German Shepherds living on board.

On February 28, the Gold Coast Waterway Authority (GCWA) was made aware of a boat which had been mooring at The Spit in Main Beach, because of an incident involving a German Shepherd.

A GCWA spokesperson said they had received a call after a dog was “rescued” from the water after it had fell overboard.

GCWA officers reported the incident to both the Gold Coast City Council and the RSPCA on the same day.

Four months later, residents claim they have seen up to 10 German Shepherds on board “fighting and barking constantly”.

One video from a resident showed the dogs loudly barking at people motoring by.

The GCWA spokesperson said they had not been able to access the boat since the incident in February due to the “aggressive and protective behaviour” of the dogs.

A Gold Coast police spokesman said on June 15 the water police responded to a report from a resident who had expressed “concerns for multiple dogs living on board”.

“Upon arrival, officers observed several dogs on the vessel. However, no immediate welfare concerns were identified,” the spokesman said.

“The matter has been referred to the RSPCA for further investigation.”

An RSPCA spokesperson confirmed they were investigating the matter.

Probe launched after 10 ‘aggressive’ dogs spotted on boat

An investigation is underway after up to 10 large dogs were spotted on a boat anchored in a Gold Coast waterway. 

A local resident on Wednesday raised alarm bells after he spotted the “full-grown” German Shepherds on board a boat at The Spit in Main Beach.

The resident shared a photo of the dogs, some seen sitting on a dinghy, some sitting on the ledge at the back of the boat and some inside the vessel.

Following inquiries from this masthead the Gold Coast Waterway Authority (GCWA) said they had been aware of the matter since February, reporting it to the Gold Coast City Council (GCCC) and RSPCA the same day.

The resident who raised the alarm said he had seen the dogs on multiple occasions over the “last few weeks” and claimed they had been “fighting and barking constantly”.

“I’ve been working near this, daily, for weeks and have never seen anyone take these dogs to shore,” he said.

“Poor guys sound like they are in pain.

“If you look at the pup on the far right, they are attacking it daily.”

An RSPCA Queensland spokesman said they were aware of the matter and it was “currently under investigation”.

A GCWA spokesperson said they had become aware of the situation after one of the dogs fell off the boat.

“GCWA officers became aware of the issue in February, when one of the dogs was rescued after falling into the water,” they said.

Up to ten German Shepherds have been seen on the boat in Bum’s Bay at The Spit. Picture Glenn Hampson.

The spokesperson said GCWA officers reported the incident to both the GCCC and the RSPCA the same day.

“GCWA does not have jurisdiction over animal welfare matters and therefore is unable to comment on the number of dogs on board or the appropriateness of their living conditions.”

The GCWA spokesperson said due to the “aggressive and protective behaviour” of the dogs, they had not been able to safely approach the boat.

“We understand that the police have also been made aware of this situation and are assisting RSPCA with this matter.”

A GCCC spokesperson said because the “issue relates to the animals occupying the boat, it falls outside (the council’s) legislative remit”.

In Queensland, any resident who wishes to keep more than two dogs for breeding, racing, sale or showing, requires a permit from council.

According to state government pet ownership laws “if you own a pet, you are legally obliged under the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 to provide appropriate care for it by providing for its needs”.

Police have been contacted for comment.

RSPCA are investigating the matter of up to 10 dogs living on a boat at The Spit, Main Beach. Picture Glenn Hampson

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Originally published as ation after ten German Shepherds spotted on boat at The Spit