Hume council wants the right to bust into homes and seize dangerous dogs after back-to-back savage dog attacks

A Melbourne council is pushing to change state laws to allow it to forcibly enter homes and seize savage dogs without police assistance, after a series of horror maulings.

Hume Council is demanding power to seize dangerous dogs with police assistance.

A Melbourne council wants the power to storm properties and seize dangerous dogs without police assistance after two savage attacks in the city’s north left residents bloodied and traumatised.

Hume City Council is demanding sweeping changes to state laws to give council officers the right to barge into homes if they believe a violent dog is inside and to use force if needed to take the dog, with councillors to vote on the proposal at a meeting on Monday night.

It follows a horror rampage in August last year, when three dogs repeatedly escaped a suburban property and mauled several victims over consecutive days.

A 35-year-old woman was taking her baby for a walk in a pram when she was attacked by three dogs in Withers Close, Sunbury.

The woman managed to protect her baby while under attack but was rushed to Royal Melbourne Hospital with serious injuries.

A photo uploaded to a Sunbury Community Facebook group of three dogs on the loose. Picture: Supplied.

The previous day a 71-year-old woman was attacked by what was allegedly the same three dogs on Heysen Dr, also in Sunbury.

The woman was knocked to the ground before being set upon, receiving serious injuries to her face, back and legs.

A council review found that officers followed proper procedures, but their response was limited by laws that require police assistance in urgent situations.

The council report said changes to the dog attack legislation would benefit all councils, arguing it wasn’t just a Hume problem.

At the council’s Monday meeting, Hume councillors voted unanimously in favour of the motion and will advocate to the Municipal Association of Victoria State Council to seek action from the state government.

Stephanie’s kids were chased by the dogs that attacked a mum and pram in Sunbury. Her children (L-R) Bonnie (12), Freddie (7) and Luna (9). Picture: Tony Gough

Sunbury resident Stephanie Amici-Limco’s three young children were also attacked by dogs while riding their bikes.

Ms Amici-Limco’s children, aged seven, nine and 12, were forced to flee as the dog was “nipping at the pedals” of the bikes.

She said her children were left distraught and were now too scared to ride their bikes anywhere out of fear of being attacked again.

Last year, Australia Post recorded more than 2600 dog attacks on posties nationwide as it warned it would blacklist homes with a history of “aggressive dogs”.

A dog attack left a postie badly injured. Picture: Australia Post

A mauled foot belonging to a postie. Picture: Australia Post

Statistics obtained from Melbourne councils revealed there were more than 3300 dog attacks — including attacks on humans, dogs and other animals — in the 18 months ending December 2024.

Caroline Springs (13) and Hoppers Crossing (11) recorded the most dog attacks on posties in Victoria in the six months ending November 2024.

Mooroolbark in Melbourne’s east was the third highest in the state with nine attacks, while Wangaratta had the most in regional Victoria with four.

A recent Victorian pet census also revealed 20 per cent of owners said they or their dogs had been attacked by another dog.

The police and state government have been contacted for comment.