Mill Park dog attack to be probed but restrictions unlikely on American Staffordshire terriers

Four people are admitted to hospital every day in Victoria with dog bite injuries, some even requiring amputations. So will the state’s banned list of dogs be extended?

More than 1300 Victorians have been injured by dogs at home over the last five years, with new figures showing the large majority of attacks happen on private property.

Four people are admitted to hospital every day with dog bite injuries, and while most suffered open wounds, 243 victims had bones fractured in the last five years and 115 people had body parts amputated.

The Herald Sun understands there are 310 dangerous dogs in Victoria, declared by councils because they have seriously injured or killed a person or animal.

Junior the dog which attacked and killed Leo Biancofiore. Picture: Supplied

A series of potentially dangerous breeds including pit bulls were banned in Victoria until 2017.

Changes by the state government mean five breeds can now be registered if owners comply with restrictions including muzzling their dog in public, making it wear a colourful collar that is visible at night, and housing it in a secure place with warning signs.

Owners of these restricted breeds can be jailed for up to 10 years if their dog kills someone.

But American Staffordshire terriers — like the dog responsible for the fatal Mill Park attack — are not on the restricted list.

RSPCA Victoria head of operations Tegan McPherson said that while American Staffordshire terriers were “often difficult to distinguish” from pit bulls, the breed of a dog was “not a reliable predictor of aggressive behaviour”.

“It’s like any breed of dog. You can get ones that are more adjusted to a family home, and others that aren’t,” she said.

“There are several factors that can influence aggression in otherwise healthy dogs and it can be range of things such as genetics, its learning experiences and training, as well as its environment.”

American Staffordshire Terrier Club of Victoria president Don Campbell said the breed was “very people orientated”.

“It’s a terrible thing that’s happened but it’s not in the dog’s temperament,” Mr Campbell said.

He called on the government to “come down hard” on dodgy breeders, arguing reckless breeding practices contributed to temperament issues.

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A government spokeswoman said the tragic incident would be “fully investigated”, and that while all recommendations would be taken seriously, there were no plans to extend the restricted breed list.

Monash University’s Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit found 5413 people had been admitted to emergency departments with dog bite injuries over five years.

Of those, 1297 attacks occurred at home, compared to 172 incidents on roads and streets. The location was not identified in 3630 incidents.

@tminear