{"id":352541,"date":"2024-08-30T15:13:10","date_gmt":"2024-08-30T05:13:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=352541"},"modified":"2024-09-02T21:17:21","modified_gmt":"2024-09-02T11:17:21","slug":"council-to-enforce-tough-dog-laws","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2024\/08\/30\/council-to-enforce-tough-dog-laws\/","title":{"rendered":"Council To Enforce Tough Dog Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dog owners who allow their animals to roam face stiff new fines in Queensland\u00a0 (Photo: Supplied)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

August 30, 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n

South Burnett Regional Council staff will undergo training in the wake of tough new dog laws which have come into effect in Queensland.<\/p>\n

Recent amendments to the State Government’s Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008 include steep fines for dog owners who do not control their animals in public.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The changes are State legislation enforced by local councils.<\/p>\n

The amendments were passed by State Parliament in April after a 12-month review of regulations following serious dog attacks on Queenslanders.<\/p>\n

Recommendations were considered from a task force that included the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Local Government Association of Queensland and RSPCA Queensland.<\/p>\n

The first changes came into effect on July 31 and include the introduction of statewide “effective control” provisions.<\/strong><\/p>\n

On-the-spot fines for owners who fail to control their dogs in public have risen from $322 to $806.<\/p>\n

Owners of declared dangerous or menacing dogs which are are exercised off-leash face an even steeper penalty.<\/p>\n

Owners who are responsible for dogs that attack and cause serious injury or death now face jail terms of up to three years and fines of up to $108,000.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The maximum fine for failing to take reasonable steps to ensure a dog does not attack has doubled to more than $92,000.<\/p>\n

The legislation has also banned several dog breeds from August 28: Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa, American pit bull terrier or pit bull terrier, and the Perro de Presa Canario or Presa Canario.<\/p>\n

The State Government has set aside $7.57 million for a three-year community education and awareness campaign to encourage responsible dog ownership. The funding will also support dog management initiatives in First Nations communities.<\/p>\n

An SBRC spokesperson said Council was reviewing the changes and preparing for its implementation via training in the new legislation.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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At Council’s August meeting, councillors discussed ways to implement reduced-fee microchipping days for dog owners across the region, as well as encourage dog and cat owners to desex their animals.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Council has amended its dog registration requirements to require dogs to be microchipped before being registered with Council, in accordance with State legislation.
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Councillors also voted to pursue unpaid 2023-24 dog registrations when the 2024-25 renewal notices are issued in September.<\/p>\n