By Alesha Capone
Forty-seven dog attacks against a person have been reported to Wyndham council so far this year, a dramatic increase compared to last year.
The council’s city operations director Stephen Thorpe said there were 32 dog attacks against a person in Wyndham in 2017.
Three dogs were put down last year as a result of serious attacks. One dog has been put down up to September this year.
Mr Thorpe said since January last year, the council had taken 12 cases involving serious dog attacks to court.
So far this year, the council has also issued four fines to owners of offending dogs for “minor attacks” compared to eight fines for minor attacks last year.
“Dog attacks happen right across Wyndham, but the majority over the past year have occurred in Hoppers Crossing, Wyndham Vale and Manor Lakes,” he said.
“Council is aware of the danger associated with dogs not being under the control of their owners, and we take this very seriously.”
Mr Thorpe said council rangers took a number of measures to help prevent attacks, including conducting random audits of dangerous, menacing and restricted breed dog owners.
He said that within Wyndham, five dogs owned by residents had been declared as “dangerous”.
In Victoria, councils can declare a dog as dangerous if they have bitten or attacked a person or animal, resulting in death or serious injury.
In comparison, councils can declare a dog as “menacing” if they are recorded as rushing or chasing a person in an aggressive manner (such as snarling and growling within a three-metre radius of a person).
Dogs can also be declared as menacing if they bite a person or animal, resulting in a non-serious injury. Dogs of any breed can be declared dangerous or menacing.
Restricted dog breeds include the American pit bull terrier, Perro de Presa Canario, Dogo Argentino, Japanese Tosa and Fila Brasileiro.
