Queensland to toughen dangerous dog law
The north-eastern Australian state will restrict ownership of 5 dog breeds.
The state authorities of Queensland have decided to amend the Animal Management (Cats & Dogs) Act 2008 and ban the ownership of dogo Argentinos, fila Brasileiros, Japanese tosas, American pit bull terriers or pit bull terriers, and the Perro de Presa Canario or Presa Canario.
According to the new regulations, the ownership of these breeds is prohibited “unless the relevant local government has issued a restricted dog permit.”
Queensland dog owners will face “increased penalties for the most serious dog attack offenses, including imprisonment.”
The new proposal comes after the government received 300 written submissions through a 60-day consultation process to assess public support for the reforms.
Widespread support
Mark Furner, Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities, says he was “grateful” that these law reforms “have such widespread support.”
“There is strong support for individual responsibility when it comes to dangerous dogs, and under our updated laws, owners will continue to bear that responsibility,” Furner adds.
In New South Wales (NSW), restrictions already exist on the same 5 dog breeds now banned in Queensland. Owners living in that state must have a valid permit to own a restricted dog, which is provided on an annual basis.
More funding
The state government will allocate a budget of AU$7.57 million ($4.98M/€4.61M) to “help make communities safer from dangerous dogs.”
Officials say they will use the funding to support the changes and run a “community education and awareness campaign,” which will be rolled out over 3 years.
The campaign hopes to “build responsible dog ownership, prevent dog attacks, and reduce the risk of harm from dog attacks.
According to a survey carried out by Animal Medicines Australia (AMA) in 2022, around 28.7 million pets lived in 6.9 million households across Australia.
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