Responsible pet ownership in the spotlight
Date published: 8 October 2015
Council has this week launched a new campaign which reminds residents of the importance of responsible pet ownership.
The Aggressive Dogs campaign, which will include TV advertising, a billboard and social media, aims to raise awareness about the negative impact a dog can have on the community if left to wander the streets.
Healthy and Safe City Committee chair Cr Gary Eddiehausen said there were 505 dog attacks reported to council in the past 12 months with 126 attacks on people and 277 attacks on other animals.
"No matter what size, breed or temperament, if you own a dog there is a chance it could attack and no one wants to be the person responsible for injuries to another animal or a person, especially a child or an elderly person," Cr Eddiehausen said.
"It could also lead to the offending dog’s owner incurring a variety of significant costs, including veterinary bills and court penalties.
"It’s vital that people with pets keep them domiciled within a properly fenced yard and never allow their pets to wander outside the yard. Even if your dog is not aggressive, it could cause an accident on the road or wander into another yard and be attacked.
"Please be a responsible pet owner, which includes registering your animal and microchipping."
Animal impound statistics:
May 2015 – July 2015
- 858 (355 cats and 503 dogs)
- 206 claimed by the owners
- 55 were registered
- 31 wearing registration tag
- 803 unregistered
- Registered dogs are returned home (where owners can be contacted)
- 90 percent of dog attacks are committed by wandering dogs
For more information and to view the video, visit council’s website: www.townsville.qld.gov.au.
