Rubber-stamp sought for regulated dog inspection program after recent attacks

A potential crackdown on problem dogs looms across the Sunshine Coast, following several attacks across the region in recent months.

An inspection of problem dogs across the Sunshine Coast is likely to happen, following a number of attacks in recent months.

A council inspection of the Sunshine Coast’s problem dogs looms after several reported attacks in recent months.

It comes as Sunshine Coast Council seeks approval to conduct a systematic inspection program of regulated dogs at its upcoming Ordinary Meeting on Thursday, October 26.

The systematic inspection program for regulated dogs checks on restricted dogs that have been declared dangerous or menacing after having complaints made or incidents investigated against them.

Council’s endorsement of the program follows a number of dog attacks across the Sunshine Coast in recent months.

In August, two dog owners were handed down more than more than $6000 in fines and court costs in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court, for attacks that caused serious injury to victims.

There have been several dog attacks across the Sunshine Coast in recent months.

In one of the attacks, an off-leash dog attacked a man riding past on a bicycle causing serious injury, while the other involved a dangerous dog that was outside its enclosure in a front yard that attacked a person entering the property, causing serious harm.

In September, a woman was also taken to hospital after she was attacked by a dog at Noosa.

The woman was riding a bicycle on the pathway toward Jacaranda Park at Tewantin between 8.30am and 9am, on Wednesday, September 20, when she was attacked by an off-leash dog.

The proposed program council seeks to conduct would mean inspections of 129 regulated dogs starting Tuesday, November 14, if approved.

Dog owners are urged to look after their dogs at the region’s dog parks.

Of the current cohort of regulated dogs, 81 of those have been declared after attacks on animals, while 48 were declared after attacks on people.

If approved, the program is set to cost $54,567 to complete and would be funded by the registration fees collected from the owners of these dogs.

Council will vote on the inspection program for regulated dogs at the Sunshine Coast Council city hall.

In the 2022-23 financial year, there were 361 dog attacks reported in the Sunshine Coast Council region – 139 attacks on people and 222 on another animal.

The 2022/2023 inspection program identified 130 regulated dogs across the region, with 94 checks completed and 12 owners issued a compliance notice for failing to meet conditions.

Sunshine Coast Council’s Ordinary Meeting will also feature discussion on the disposal of commercial land via lease within the Sunshine Coast Maroochydore Multi Deck Car Park, as well as proposed amendments to the Palmview Structure Plan, the related planning scheme policy, and Palmview Structure Plan Area Infrastructure Agreement 2010.