FOLLOWING Canberra’s “mounting issues surrounding dangerous dogs” shadow Minister for Urban Services Steve Doszpot has briefed the Parliamentary Drafting Office to prepare legislation that he can introduce into the Assembly on the topic.

“The government has been unwilling to take any action on this issue, and I will bring forward legislation to encourage progress,” Mr Doszpot says.

“There is mounting evidence that something needs to be done and I look forward to the government’s cooperation in mitigating the instances of dog attacks.”

Mr Doszpot is seeking to have the Bill drafted to:

• Make it incumbent on owners of dogs to be responsible for them; including incurring penalties
• Make it much easier to penalise owners of dogs that attack people, pet dogs or pet cats 
• Make it much clearer under what circumstances a dog must be seized
• Make it much clearer under what circumstances a dog must be destroyed
• Define and make much clearer the circumstances under which a dog is declared a “dangerous dog”
• Introduce much stricter conditions on holding a “dangerous dog” including significant additional fees
• Impose stricter penalties for when a “dangerous dog” is not held according to prescribed conditions including destruction of a dog 
• Provide greater visibility of process for people who report dogs
• Require better record keeping by Domestic Animal Services