Seven-month-old joey koala mauled to death near controversial off-leash dog park

“Someone should have listened.” Koala rescuers furious over latest dog attack near a controversial off-leash park that the local council refused to shut down, until now. DISTRESSING IMAGES

An “irresponsible” dog owner is being blamed for the horrific mauling of a baby koala at a dog park at Sweeney Reserve despite years of lobbying by rescuers to get it closed.

Last Monday, a joey named Peta and her mum Jatz were attacked by a dog suspected to have been running around the area off its leash.

Petition to move an unfenced dog park situated in a wildlife corridor

Dog attacked woman at Petrie park as owner watched

Seven-month-old Peta was killed in the attack while mum Jatz is recovering from her injuries.

“We are absolutely heartbroken and filled with anger,” a member of Moreton Bay Koala Rescue wrote on Facebook.

“Baby Peta’s lifeless body was found on the footpath with a seriously injured Jatz in a tree nearby.

Seven-month-old Peta was killed by a dog at Sweeney Reserve, Petrie.

“We understand accidents happen but what you do next is what matters and leaving a koala to die like that is just horrible.”

As a result of the attack and after years of lobbying by the community — including a change.org petition with almost 1500 signatures — Moreton Bay Council has finally decided to relocate a nearby off-leash dog park.

The dog park, located next to a wildlife corridor, had been in place for more than 40 years and, despite saying in the past it would be relocated, the council instead installed a dog water fountain and poo bags in the space.

There have been reports of dogs running out of the off-leash area and harassing pedestrians, children, other leashed dogs and wildlife, including a wallaby that was mauled to death.

Last November, in response to a change.org petition with nearly 1500 signatures, the council said it would establish a new dog park in nearby Leis Park, but would not commit to closing the Sweeney Reserve off leash area.

Peta and mum Jatz killed by a dog at Sweeney Reserve, Petrie. Photo: Julie Adil

“I don’t think there’s much point complaining online, I’m more solution-oriented and so I’d like to meet with (local koala care groups) to hear their ideas,” Cr Mick Gillam said at the time.

“We have committed to koala campaigners that we will fix this problem and have had our planning and environment teams brief them on the issues.”

That was about eight months ago and while the new dog park at Leis Park opened three weeks ago, the Sweeney Reserve off-leash area has remained open, until this latest attack.

A council spokesman said fencing at the western bend of Sweeney Reserve was being removed and a new off-leash area would be built on the eastern bend in an area away from trees.

Mayor Peter Flannery said he saw the “sickening” photos from the attack and said it was irresponsible dog owners who created this situation.

Jatz and babby Peta taking a nap. They were attacked and Peta killed by a dog at Sweeney Reserve, Petrie.

“I don’t blame the dog, I blame that dog’s owner,” he said.

“It is the responsibility of pet owners to maintain effective control of their animal and it’s crucial that we do everything we can to prevent dog attacks on native and endangered species.

“As a council it’s devastating to be achieving such great success in growing our koala population, regrowing habitat areas and building important infrastructure to keep them safe – only for koalas to die in dog attacks.”

A spokeswoman from the Save Our Community Warner group, which includes several local koala rescuers, thanked the council for relocating the park.

“Without question, this decision will save koala lives,” she said. “That it took a little baby koala to die is pretty hardcore, there is no question.

“We are extremely sad this decision didn’t happen earlier.

“We hope that council will be more open to koala rescue teams in the future when they plead for something to be done when something clearly isn’t right. Someone should have listened.”

Meanwhile across Moreton Bay, koala rescuers are experiencing yet another spike in koala road fatalities with several killed in the past couple of weeks as breeding season hits full swing.

Drivers are urged to slow down and look out for koalas on suburban roads.