Welcome to Dogs in the Community!
Photo by Ruthless Photos
In mid-2011, media attention regarding canine aggression and dog bite incidents in the community once again brought issues such as Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) and companion animal management practices to the forefront. After one particularly horrific incident, in which a four-year-old girl suffered fatal injuries inflicted by a crossbreed dog, the Victorian government intensified the Breed Specific Legislation that already existed regarding ‘pit bull’ types of dog, a response that many in the community applauded.
Although this popular decision appeared to many citizens to be an appropriate and justified action, unfortunately, what many in the community have not been given the opportunity to hear is that banning dogs based on their breed, type or appearance has been acknowledged as a public safety failure worldwide. In reality, any government who claims they are making the community safer by implementing breed specific legislation is performing a conjuring trick – a politically expedient illusion – in which the community feels safer despite not actually being safer.
Keen to both educate the public and call for change, CommunityK9 organised a rally that was held in Belmore Park, Sydney on October 22, in the hope that this inaugural rally, and ongoing efforts, will raise awareness and bring positive change to the safety and welfare issues regarding dogs in the community.
CommunityK9 actively promotes the need for Australia to adopt the proven, best-practice models of companion animal management that exist and succeed in other areas of the world, such as Calgary, Canada.
These models acknowledge that if a dog ends up homeless, a public nuisance, or vicious, it is because a human relationship failed them. Recognising that it is ‘the other end of the leash’ that must be held accountable for dog behaviour, The Calgary Model, using breed neutral laws, encourages (and enforces) socially responsible dog ownership via (amongst other measures) – school and community education programs, low-cost desexing services, dog licensing systems that fund animal management services, and well structured legislation that addresses socially unacceptable dog behaviour before it escalates.
In addition to enjoying extremely low rates of dog bite incidents, Calgary also has enviably low dog euthanasia rates – a welcome animal welfare outcome. The Calgary Model creates a safer community for all – human and dog alike.
As evidenced by the array of speakers at the rally on October 22, there are numerous organisations and individuals willing to contribute to making our community a safer place for all, but their efforts need to be underpinned by intelligent legislation. Government can make that happen. It has no excuses. All dog bite victims deserve nothing less.
