Woman stands for safety after her pooch gets attacked at Mosman beach

A DOG OWNER is calling on Mosman Council to improve signage and install simpler safety procedures after her pooch was attacked at Sirius Cove.

Lee and Monica Watts with their daughters Lauren, 11, and Evie, 14, and Hunter. Picture: Adam Yip

A WOMAN whose dog was attacked at a beach in Mosman has taken a stand to work towards making the community safer.

Monica Watts, owner of four-year-old rescue dog Hunter, said she was determined to help change the way people report and react to dangerous animals in the community, following an unexpected incident which hospitalised her pooch.

Hunter, a Beagle Fox Terrier mix, had to undergo a round of surgery, she added, after being attacked by an off-leash, unmuzzled dog at Sirius Cove on January 12.

Monica Watts said Hunter was well on his way to making a full recovery after being unexpectedly attacked by another dog on January 12.

Monica Watts said she was grateful the people trialling the dog, which attacked Hunter, came forward and paid the gap in her vet bills.

Ms Watts said a “speedier”, “more efficient” reporting system needed to be put in place by Mosman Council, as well as signage promoting ownership responsibility.

Ms Watts added she met with council representatives on Monday to discuss her ideas.

“There’s a lot of dogs with aggressive behaviour in the community and there are a lot of people worried, and there is nothing they can do about it,” she said.

“You feel completely powerless when something awful like this happens and all you can think about afterwards is how it could have been prevented.

“We need an easier reporting system and an easy enforcement system, and we need to get ahead of the situation by creating awareness of what can potentially happen through conversation and signage.”

Hunter needed surgery for several bites to the stomach.

A spokeswoman of Mosman Council said victims or witnesses of dog attacks were currently required to report incidents to council rangers. There were also no plans in place to change dog use areas, she added.

“Council has signage in various locations and undertakes a range of educational activities, including providing detailed information on its website and at the annual Pet’s Day Out event,” she said.

“People can contact council at any time — whether it be by phone, email, letter or on our new ‘report it’ function on our My Mosman app — to report a dog incident.

“These reports are then tasked to council’s Compliance Team for investigation and action.”

The spokeswoman added owners also faced a range of harsh penalties if they were to go against the rules and regulations of pet ownership in the Mosman area.

Ms Watts said she was grateful the people trialling the dog which attacked Hunter came forward and paid the gap in her vet bills.

For more information, visit www.mosman.nsw.gov.au.