Dog attack victim Dianne Yali speaks out about her fears for Darwin pets

A woman whose beloved pet was attacked and killed by another dog has spoken out about her fears of pet ownership in the Top End as CCTV of another shocking incident.

A Darwin woman whose beloved dog was killed in a vicious attack two years ago has spoken out about her fears for other pet owners after chilling photos emerged of another shocking incident in Nightcliff last weekend.

Dianne Yali – whose dog Oscar was killed by another dog in November 2021 – said the horrific incidents made her fearful of owning dogs in the NT.

“I would never own another dog in Darwin, let alone walk a dog,” she said.

“It’s not safe — and because council don’t take dog attacks seriously.”

Ms Yali said she was concerned the council only took action after the recent dog attack in Nightcliff because of the number of people present.

“Otherwise, they would have done nothing,” she said.

Oscar the Husky won the 2019 cutest dog competition. Picture: Dianne Yali

It comes as the council continues to investigate the latest dog attack in Nightcliff last Sunday, while CCTV footage has emerged of the build up to that attack.

In that incident an elderly man was walking his pooch outside Nightcliff Shopping Centre when a much larger brown dog allegedly attacked his pet.

Shopping Centre manager Peter Poniris said a woman with her own two dogs was also involved in an incident with the same stray on the same day.

The ‘mongrel’ dog approached the woman outside the shopping centre on Sunday. Picture: Peter Poniris

The dog attacked a smaller, female dog, who slipped her collar after the initial attack. Picture: Peter Poniris

A man caught the attack dog by the scruff of his neck and carried him away. Picture: Peter Poniris

Mr Poniris said he himself used to breed dogs.

“As a matter of interest I never bred pure breeds, I was only into large, strong, crossbreed ‘mongrel’ dogs,” he said.

“They make great companions.”

But Mr Poniris said the horror attack was “full on” and “strange”.

“(The dog) should be shot,” he previously told this publication.

“The way he went for the other dog was amazing, it’s a very strange mongrel dog that would do that to a desexed female, the priority should now be finding out who owns this dog.

“We will look at the footage again to see who it is who came to the centre with this dog.”

Darwin’s animal management team is yet to determine the fate of the attacking dog.

The investigation was launched on Monday after City of Darwin rangers took the canine to the pound on Sunday.

MONDAY: Attack dog’s future uncertain as council launches investigation

The future of a stray dog that allegedly attacked a pet pooch at the Nightcliff Shopping Centre remains uncertain after the Darwin council launched an investigation into the incident.

A City of Darwin spokeswoman said rangers took the dog to the pound after the alleged attack, which shocked onlookers on Sunday morning.

She said the council’s animal management team – who only operated on weekdays – had launched an investigation into the incident on Monday.

Territorians who own a dog that has attacked someone can be prosecuted for their pet’s behaviour.

Under the council’s regulations, dogs that have attacked a person or animal may be placed on the declared dog register as “level one” or “level two” dogs.

A level one incident – where a dog bite or holds a person or animal in its mouth – may result in penalty infringements, sanctions, and conditions on the dog’s registration.

More serious incidents may result in the council’s decision to “forcibly remove or evict the dog” from Darwin.

Police, St John Ambulance and City of Darwin officers responded on Sunday after the stray dog attacked the family pet being walked by an elderly man in the shopping centre carpark on Dick Ward Dr.

The incident, which occurred just after 8am, was witnessed by dozens of horrified shoppers and centre security staff who tried to stop the savage and sustained early-morning attack.

The pup that was the victim of the attack was treated for serious injuries at Darwin Veterinary Hospital and its owner was taken to hospital after appearing to suffer breathing difficulties.

Police speak to witnesses after the Sunday morning dog attack.

The elderly man was walking along the footpath beside the driveway into the centre carpark when the other dog jumped the pet and latched onto its neck.

While the man desperately tried to save his dog, passers-by ran to assist and eventually separated the two animals.

The pet fled towards Dick Ward Dr as it was chased again by the stray pooch, which also forced its way free.

The pet had nasty bite punctures to its back, neck and rear right side.

The restrained dog awaits City of Darwin rangers after Sunday’s incident.

At that point the elderly man appeared to suffer a respiratory incident on the roadside and was being assisted by members of the public while others went in pursuit of the dogs.

A few moments later the pet re-emerged being chased by the stray.

After another pursuit in the carpark a security guard and passer-by grabbed the attack dog and managed to hold it long enough to hog-tie its legs and disable the animal.

The elderly dog owner is treated by ambulance officers after the incident.

While police talked with witnesses near the shopping centre entrance, ambulance officers arrived to treat the elderly man, who had made it to Dick Ward Dr where he was reunited with his pet.

City of Darwin rangers arrived and the attack dog was taken away.

Nightcliff Shopping Centre manager Peter Poniris said he had not seen the stray around the centre before.

Mr Poniris, who is a former dog breeder, said security footage showed the dog targeting two other dogs at the centre that morning.

“He (the dog) should be shot,” he said.

“The way he went for the other dog was amazing.

“It’s a very strange mongrel dog that would do that to a desexed female.

“The priority should now be finding out who owns this dog.

“We will look at the footage again to see who it is who came to the centre with this dog.”

A witness to the incident said he was first alerted by the sounds of the man crying for assistance and the bloodcurdling yelps of the dog being attacked.

Witnesses had no idea where the stray came from or whether it was a neighbourhood dog or a blow-in.

Friends of the man who arrived at the scene after hearing the sounds of the distressed dog were taking the dog for veterinary treatment.

A spokeswoman for Darwin Veterinary Hospital said the dog would receive stitches this morning but was expected to make a fully recovery.

Royal Darwin Hospital confirmed the dog owner received treatment and was discharged from hospital.