Victorian state election hopefuls cosy up to playful puppies ahead of November ballot
IS COSYING up with a puppy the new baby-kissing for Victorian state election hopefuls?
Victoria State Election
Don't miss out on the headlines from Victoria State Election. Followed categories will be added to My News.
IS COSYING up with a puppy the new baby-kissing for Victorian state election hopefuls?
Opposition leader Daniel Andrews seems to think so, judging by the stream of pooch-laden images posted on social media in recent weeks.
Oakleigh Labor candidate Steve Dimopoulos got in on the action on Tuesday, posing with rescue dog Zoe at Carnegie’s Packer Park.
Mr Dimopoulos agreed that puppy photos made for good publicity, at least compared with “men in suits shaking hands”, but insisted the campaign was far from a cynical ploy.
“It’s such an important issue; how we treat those most vulnerable in our community is the marker of a good society,” he said.
Mr Andrews launched Labor’s animal welfare pledge in May, on the back of outrage over the “watered-down” puppy farm legislation passed by the Napthine government in April.
The party machine appears to have found the perfect excuse to ramp up an assault of pictorial cuteness.
Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh dismissed Labor’s puppy farm campaign, saying the party had failed to do anything about the problem while in power.
“In contrast, in just three years, (this) government has introduced the toughest breeding code and the highest penalties in Australia,” he said.
Mr Walsh said the new regulations included mandatory vet checks, breeding limits and retirement plans as well as housing, nutrition, exercise, socialisation and staffing ratio requirements.
Albert Park Liberal candidate Shannon Eeles last month posted a picture of herself on social media with pooch Otis at St Kilda’s Veg Out market.
Asked whether the pugaleir belonged to her, Ms Eeles said: “Otis isn’t mine but he is part of the campaign team. You’ll see him a lot!”
Health problems have prevented Labor incumbent Martin Foley’s dogs from joining him regularly on the campaign trail.
Mr Foley has two 15-year-old Jack Russell Chihuhua crosses; Fred is blind in one eye, while Ginger suffers arthritis.
The former pup made an appearance at the Million Paws Walk in May, where Mr Andrews launched Labor’s Protect Puppies campaign.
Former Premier Ted Baillieu posed with his Jack Russell ahead of the 2006 election, but lost to incumbent Labor Premier Steve Bracks.
Mr Baillieu again posed with a handful of writhing, wriggling pups at the Lost Dog’s Home in 2011, while announcing his promised crackdown on puppy farms.
But animal liberationists were disappointed by last-minute changes to the new laws this year, removing a five-litter limit per breeding dog, along with a proposed requirement dogs be checked by a vet before and after each breeding session.
Labor has promised to reinstate these restrictions if elected in November.
In the meantime, voters can expect more photographs of candidates and canines, upholding the age-old tradition of appealing to voters’ apparent weakness for balls of fluff.
Let’s not forget former Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s triumphant outing of Reuben the cavoodle in 2011, echoing the fanfare around United States “First Dog” Bo the Portuguese water dog’s introduction to the public in 2009.