‘Extremely traumatic’: Man fined almost $10k over deadly dog attack
A Gold Coast man has been forced to euthanise his dog and pay $9000 in fines after it killed another dog in Byron Bay two years ago. DETAILS >>>
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A Gold Coast man has been forced to euthanise his dog and pay $9000 in fines after it killed another dog in Byron Bay two years ago.
The owner will pay $9200 and handed his American Staffordshire Terrier over to Gold Coast City Council (GCCC) to be put down.
The terrier and its owner were staying in Byron when it attacked an 11-year-old kelpie being walked by its owner in October 2019.
Four people – including the terrier’s owner – managed to drag the dog away, but not before it severely injured the kelpie, including breaking its leg.
The dog attacked again, continuing to menace the kelpie and its owner, who was attempting to carry his injured pet out of danger.
The kelpie was taken to the vet but was euthanised two weeks after the attack, partly due to its injuries.
Legal Counsel Ralph James said both Byron Shire Council and GCCC had declared the terrier a dangerous dog after the attack.
“It has taken a long time to get to court, mainly because of Covid-19,” he said.
“Council is grateful to the Byron Shire community members who witnessed the attack, provided council with evidence and, prior to the defendant pleading guilty, were willing to attend court to give evidence.
“The defendant’s guilty plea would likely not have been made without them.
“(The $9200) is comprised of vet bills and expenses for the owner of the dog that was attacked, and council’s expenses in bringing this matter to court.
“This event was extremely traumatic for everyone involved and while it resulted in the death of one animal, it could have resulted in the serious injury of one or more of the people who were trying to save the dog.”
The owner also received a 12-month conditional release order and had a conviction recorded.
In 2020 a Sydney couple was fined $8000 and told to pay more than $3000 in vet bills and legal costs after their unrestrained American Staffordshire attacked and killed a dachshund that was on a lead in Byron Bay.
The Staffordshire terrier, which was involved in two separate attacks elsewhere in NSW weeks earlier, was euthanised.
This month, a Byron Bay woman was permanently banned from handling a canine in public after it attacked another dog and person who entered her property.
On the Gold Coast this year, a young girl was hospitalised with “multiple puncture wounds” to her arms, leg and chest after being attacked by a dog in Pimpama in February.
A month later, 14-year-old Maltese papillon Molly was mauled by a rottweiler at the Currumbin off leash dog park. The public rallied around Molly’s owners, John and Heather Derry, getting a new dog and paying for Molly’s vet bill, Pet Angels Funerals offered their services cost-free and another woman pledged to paint a portrait of Molly.
REVEALED: Gold Coast’s worst suburbs for dog attacks
NO one should fear being attacked by a dog while doing their job but this is the reality for Gold Coast posties.
As residents increasingly turn to online shopping and more parcels are delivered beyond the letterbox, posties are required to enter the front yard and knock on the door, where they can encounter additional hazards.
Nearly a dozen postal delivery officers were attacked since July last year and most needed medical attention.
One of the worst incidents happened at Nerang this year when a dangerous dog escaped a house and bit a postie on the leg.
Postie Glen Nolan was just two months into his new role with Australia Post when he was attacked by a dog at Arundel.
Mr Nolan suffered some grazing and a torn uniform and his motorbike was damaged.
He said the incident hasn’t made him fearful of dogs but he had a message for pet owners.
“Most owners often say, ‘Don’t worry, my dog doesn’t bite,’ but sometimes a dog may react to a stranger or might not like something different they see on your bike,” Mr Nolan said.
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“On the whole, dog owners are pretty good. The biggest issue is if they’re doing repairs on the house, most of the time it’s when they’re working on the house, or the gate’s been left open.
“And in a message to homeowners when driving in or out, just please be mindful of leaving the gate open.”
Arundel, Bundall and Nerang were the worst offenders with three dog attacks reported in each suburb from July last year.
Burleigh Heads recorded two attacks with one postie needing medical attention.
An Australia Post spokesman said posties were commonly attacked by a dog coming through the front door.
“An aggressive dog can be a dangerous and scary encounter for a postie while delivering your letters and parcels,” he said.
“For the safety of everyone, we ask dog owners to do the right thing and keep your dog safely out of the way throughout the day.”
Queensland accounted for 26 per cent of the 272 dog attacks throughout Australia in 2019.
The highest number of attacks happened on the footpath (41 per cent), followed by the front door (22 per cent), the front yard (16 per cent) and the letterbox (16 per cent).
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