What a Disaster - Turbo BSL, nought to euthanized in 30 days.

The Sweeper

As some of you may know, I live in Victoria, Australia. I moved here four and a half years ago.

I own six cats and a mongrel dog who has bull terrier somewhere in his heritage, and who is a sweet, sweet natured creature.

In August this year, a Mastiff Pitbull cross (the sort of animal covered by the term 'bandog') got lose from its owner's property in Melbourne, and killed a little girl in her own home. Accounts of the story are varied; it's indisputable that the child is dead and the dog killed her, but some accounts say the dog initially went for her mother and aunt in the doorway of the house, they ran inside, it followed and pulled the child from where she stood clinging to her mother's legs, other accounts say the child was sitting on the living room floor watching television and the dog grabbed her after it entered the house.

Whatever the truth is, a child is dead because of a poorly socialised, aggressive and out of control dog.

The Victorian Government has chosen to deal with this by rushing through the most poorly thought through breed specific legislation ever. Basically it's similar to the legislation in the UK and NI: owners of pit bulls, dogo argentinos, fila brasilieros and japenese tosas and dogs of those types have until 30th September to register their dog as a restricted breed. After 30th September, any unregistered dog will be seized and euthanised.

The problem, as ever, is definition of breed. My bitsa could be classes as a pitbull cross type dog. He is registered - but I've registered him as a bull arab X, which is what the vet thought he was. The problem is that under this new legislation, if someone reports my dog, the ranger can use an arbitrary 'breed standard' to declare him 'of type' and seize him from me because he's incorrectly registered and therefore not registered.

I cannot believe this legislation has happened, and so very quickly.

There will be many tears shed over family dogs in Victoria from October onwards.

Devi

I’d say your best bet would be to get a dna test done, find out exactly what your dog is and register him according.

Are they banning the dogs completely or will there be just restrictions put on them?

Tranceypoo

That is terribly tragic about that poor child, very sad for her family.

However, knee jerk reactions from councils/governments run by people who know absolutely bugger all about dogs is so pointless and counter productive, it's so frustrating.

As you say Sweeper, there could be many tears shed over family dogs when this goes through.

Monty Burnz

Just register him as one of the more dangerous yokes just in case?

Wibbs

The Sweeper wrote: »

Whatever the truth is, a child is dead because of a poorly socialised, aggressive and out of control dog.

+1000 while some breeds have a higher prey instinct any breed is capable of similar, but poodle attacks don't make headlines. When I was a kid around 8 or so a mate of mine was attacked by golden retriever. Loads of stitches to his shoulder and face required. He only avoided further injury because another neighbours dog, a big old GSD of uncertain parentage that hung around with us attacked the retriever and drove it off. That dog nearly got blamed for the attack and if it hadn't been witnessed would have been.

I cannot believe this legislation has happened, and so very quickly.

I can. Daily Mail legislation is usually popular and ignorant in equal measure. The politicians can be seen to do the right thing or at least be seen to be doing something. :rolleyes: I wouldn't be surprised if similar didn't happen here in the future. One "Killer Dog Breed" attack and the handwringers would be out in force.

Devi wrote: »

I’d say your best bet would be to get a dna test done, find out exactly what your dog is and register him according.

Do such tests exist now? Tests so accurate they can pin down breed and available to a local vet?

TooManyDogs

Wibbs wrote: »

Do such tests exist now? Tests so accurate they can pin down breed and available to a local vet?

Companies like this one http://www.dog-dna.com/ do DNA testing. All you have to do is take a swab from the inside of your dogs cheek and send it off, pretty much like human DNA tests are done.

The Sweeper

Monty Burnz wrote: »

Just register him as one of the more dangerous yokes just in case?

And then he'll have to be muzzled while in public. He'll also have to be kept on a short leash and I'll have to build a roofed dog run in my yard for him. How can I take him to agility if he's expected to do the course leashed and muzzled?

It's not like Ireland where plenty of folks ignore the control of dogs act - wardens WILL enforce the laws.

My dog's a mongrel. The breed typing is subjective. I won't commit to registering him as something he's not because of crap, rushed through laws.

The Sweeper

TooManyDogs wrote: »

Wibbs wrote: »

Do such tests exist now? Tests so accurate they can pin down breed and available to a local vet?

Companies like this one http://www.dog-dna.com/ do DNA testing. All you have to do is take a swab from the inside of your dogs cheek and send it off, pretty much like human DNA tests are done.

AFAIK the the legitimacy of canine DNA test results is in question. Too many results like 'your 5kg dog is one quarter Great Dane!' type thing. Human DNA testing compares a sample to another sample. The canine testing compares a sample to a stock database and if they don't have an exact match they go with the next best thing.

The vets are starting to protest about the onus put on them to verify dogs as being or not being of type. The legislation has leeway - if your vet will issue a cert to say your dog doesn't have X breed in him you're okay. But no vet wants to certify a random dog as being 'not of type' only for that dog to bite someone in a few years and the vet be sued.

It's all happened so fast that most stakeholders bodies haven't had time to even pull together a response. We're just over a week from 'seize and destroy'.

This is the sort of legislation that saw Bruce and Lennox impounded. (see this forum for both stories!)