Cage pit bulls or pay price - May 2003 |
OWNERS of pit bull terriers face $500 fines unless the dogs are kept in escape-proof and childproof enclosures.
Under tough new laws, which come into effect tomorrow, owners of pit bull terriers will also have to display warning signs at their properties or risk $200 fines. They also must have their dogs muzzled and leashed in public places.
But the treasurer of the American Pit Bull Terrier Club of Australia, Nigel Norton, yesterday vowed that he and many other pit bull owners would deliberately break some of the rules.
"Why the hell should we be forced to have our dogs with Hannibal Lecter muzzles on and all this other s--- when everybody else is totally ignoring them?"he said.
Mr Norton said that only when councils properly enforced other rules, such as those requiring that dogs be leashed in public places, would he abide by the new regulations.
But Agriculture Minister Bob Cameron yesterday warned pit bull terrier owners to obey the rules or face sanctions.
He said that the public could call for even tougher laws if pit bull terrier owners flouted the rules and their dogs then injured or killed someone.
Mr Cameron said the rules were introduced to provide a safer environment for the community.
"I believe these regulations balance the need for public safety, the welfare of restricted breed dogs and the rights of their owners,"he said.
"They provide tough but fair measures to address the issues associated with managing restricted breed dogs."
Under the regulations, owners of pit bull terriers have to build escape-proof and child-proof fences at least 1.8 metres high, have brightly-coloured warning signs on their properties, and have their dogs micro-chipped for identification.
Owners who wish to appeal against a restricted breed declaration will also have to pay $200 to go before a dog declaration review panel.
The regulations complement laws introduced in late 2001 that made pit bull terriers a restricted breed.
The laws also increased the maximum penalties for owners of dogs that attack from $500 to $12,000, or six months jail.
By TANYA GILES
19may 2003
https://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/
common/story_page/0,5478,6455910%255E2862,00.html
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