Grieving owner says Energex’s new dog policy twisted a knife after dogs died from suspected baiting

A dog owner who had two beloved pets poisoned in her own back yard has hit out at an electricity supplier who she says has “twisted the knife” with a hurtful move.

THE GRIEVING owner of two dogs that died after allegedly being poisoned in their own back yard said a Queensland electricity supplier has twisted a knife into her heart with their new meter-reading rule.

Coorparoo dentist Meredith Pokarier received a letter from Energex in July saying that they were unable to read her meter due to unrestrained dogs on the property.

But Ms Pokarier’s two cocker spaniels, 12-year-old Aeryn and 3-year-old Olive, had died in late May after allegedly being baited.

“Energex…Not cool,” she posted on her Facebook page next to a photo of the letter.

“Could not read meter because of what? Ghosts of dogs past? Twist the knife why don’t you.”

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Dr Pokarier, 53, said despite ringing Energex the next day to inform them she no longer had the dogs and providing them with her meter reading herself, a letter arrived from Origin a few weeks later saying they had to guess her reading for the same reason.

“Why did they have to guess as I gave them the reading as well,” she said.

“It was just upsetting. I was angry, upset, part of grief I suppose.

“But I felt like it was torture, twisting the knife about what had happened.”

Dr Pokarier said she felt the new rule, introduced by Energex in January, appeared to mainly be a cost cutting tactic.

“Energex and Origin have been reading my meter for how long? I’ve been in that house for over 20 years,” she said.

“They’ve never been bothered by a dog there before.

“(Energex) were very keen to push you to read your own meter, so to me it’s just cost cutting measure disguised as ‘we’re protecting our workers’.”

Cocker spaniels Aeryn, 12, and Olive, 3, of Coorparoo died in May after allegedly being baited. Picture: Meredith Pokarier/Facebook

A woman who commented underneath Dr Pokarier’s Facebook post said her parents had received the same letter, despite not having had a dog in 10 years.

“Once they see a dog they put it on file and then never check again,” she wrote.

An Origin Energy spokesman said although Dr Pokarier was their customer, Energex was responsible for visiting homes to read meters.

“We’d send her bills, reminder notifications and communicate on issues relating accessing a meter,” he said.

“Energex … will notify us of a meter reading or if they’re having any issues with reading the meter.”

The spokesman referred all other questions to Energex.

A photo of the Origin letter just Dr Pokarier received just weeks after a similar letter from Energex had arrived, despite Energex having already been informed there were no dogs at the property and of the correct meter reading. Picture: Meredith Pokarier

An Energex Australia spokesman said Energex and Ergon introduced the Safe Entry Policy, prohibiting staff from entering properties where they were unable to confirm there were no unrestrained dogs on January 14.

“Before this statewide policy was implemented, more than 260 dog attacks or close calls involving our people were recorded in a 15-month period,” he said.

“Injuries ranged from bites to a staff member having their ear partially torn from their skull.

“Energex and Ergon are not the first electricity distributors to implement such a policy with similar policies around the country.”

The spokesman said the company had dogs registered as living at Dr Pokarier’s property, but their records had now been updated.

He said out of 2.3 million Queensland customers, 819 complaints had been received about the new policy in the first six months of it being implemented.

“Since the policy implementation there has been an 81 per cent decrease in animal-related injuries to our staff,” he said.

File photo: The right forearm of an unidentified Energex meter reader after an alleged dog attack by an unidentified dog at an undisclosed part of Queensland on an unknown date. The company introduced a blanket new rule in January preventing meter readers from going on property where any dogs are known to live. Picture: Energex

Dr Pokarier returned home from work on May 22 to find what she said appeared to be vomited yellow mince over her front lawn and her two cocker spaniels unwell.

She rushed Aeryn and Olive to Manly Road Veterinary Hospital where they spent two days fighting for their lives.

Both dogs, who played Flyball and agility, had to be euthanized after veterinarians said the substance ingested caused extreme and irreparable liver damage.

Dr Pokarier said a neighbour had received a letter about a dog barking a week earlier.

The border collie, owned by the neighbour who received the letter, also started vomiting but recovered after being taken to the same emergency vet.

No complaints had been received about Aeryn and Olive, who were taken out regularly by a dog walker, including that same morning.

The RSPCA is investigating the suspected dog-baiting.
The Energex spokesman said dog-owners who did not want to restrain their dogs could choose to read their own meter, have their meter reading estimated or could choose to buy a digital meter than can be read remotely.