Gold Coast City Council launches toughest dangerous animal laws yet with $774 fines

City Hall is launching its biggest crackdown on dangerous dogs across the Gold Coast – increasing fines for owners who fail to control aggressive pets. Find out how much.

City Hall is launching its biggest crackdown on dangerous dogs across the Gold Coast – increasing fines by up to four times for owners who fail to control aggressive pets.

Residents who have a vicious animal which attacks another person or animal causing injuries will cop a $774 fine.

Failure to keep a dog under effective control will cost owners $619 – four times as much as before.

Owners who fail to comply with the minimum standards for pet management under the new laws, where different fencing and restrictions are required to different breeds or animals, will be hit with a $309 fine – double the previous amount.

Governance committee chair Councillor William Owen-Jones said: “There have been some horrible injuries and deaths to other animals.

Gold Coast City Council will increase fines for dangerous dogs. Councillor William Owen-Jones (inset) heads the committee backing the new animal management laws.

“Councillors agreed that a stronger deterrent was required. The penalties have been increased from $154 to $744 for an animal attack that causes bodily harm to another person or another animal.

“These changes to the penalties have been strongly supported by our community. The message is clear – have your dog appropriately leashed and no penalty is possible.

“Do the right thing and you will not be fined. Do the wrong thing and pay the price.”

Council says it has a mandate for the tough penalty regime, given a resident survey.

At least 56 per cent of people said they were in favour or wanted stronger penalties.

About 12 per cent believed the new penalties did not go far enough. Only 18 per cent saw the tougher penalty regime as being excessive.

“The proposed infringement amounts are consistent with community concerns that dogs who are not under effective control – or who are wandering at large – are more likely to be involved in a dog attack,” a City spokesperson said.

Injuries sustained after dog attack on Gold Coast beach.

Both Deputy Mayor Donna Gates and Robina councillor Hermann Vorster have pushed strongly for tougher laws. They were backed by all councillors at Tuesday’s governance committee meeting.

Councillor Gates said councillors wanted to increase fines to five penalty units but officers had advised to drop the amount in some instance so the state would tick off on the measures.

She said she was pleased the state government had backed the uplift in fines.

“My own husband has been hospitalised twice from an attack from an unleashed dog,” Cr Gates told the meeting.

The council receives between 50 and 60 dog attack reports each month.

In April, the dogs which mauled a three-year-old girl in Yatala were put down. The young victim was rushed to Queensland Children’s Hospital in a serious condition after an attack involving four german shepherd and mastiff breed dogs.

Under the new animal management laws, officers, animal owners and affected residents will have a measurable assessment criteria on noise from dogs with officers saying “it will reduce red tape”.

Dog walkers at the Currumbin Creek Pirate Park at Palm Beach.

Under the current local laws, the criteria is based primarily on council receiving a certain number of separate complaints combined with a subjective assessment undertaken by investigating officers.

The changes require a complainant to form an objective opinion as to whether the noise unreasonably interferes with the peace, comfort and convenience of their lives.

The duration of the noise must exceed more than a total of six minutes in any 60 minute period between 7am – 10pm on any day or more than three minutes in any 30 minute period between the hours of 10pm – 7am on any day.

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