By Natalie Gallenti and Laura Wakely
A WOMAN and her dog had a lucky escape after being attack by two Staffordshire terriers in Deer Park last week.
Deer Park resident Michelle, who did not want her surname published, said she was went out for a walk with her labrador when a boy in a front yard warned her to be on the lookout for two dogs running loose near the corner of Neale Rd and Oakwood Drive on Wednesday last week.
Michelle passed on the warning to a woman also out walking with her German shepherd when the two terriers approached the group.
Michelle said the dogs got “right into” the German shepherd. Michelle ran with her dog away from the scene.
“Usually dogs come up with a smiley face, they wag at you, but these dogs were just on,” Michelle said.
“I felt so terrible, I wanted to go back but the lady was just yelling ‘go, go, go’.
“Thank God people driving past stopped and neighbours ran out and kicked the dogs away from her.”
After being forced off the German shepherd, Michelle said the dogs ran into the yard of a house on the street.
Sunshine Police attended the scene, along with the Brimbank City Council ranger, and were able to locate the owners of the dog.
A police member told Star the woman had a grazed hand and her dog had a minor injury to its paws, but no charges were laid.
Brimbank General Manager of City Development Stephen Sully said the council would be fining the owners for having unregistered dogs and for allowing them to roam loose.
The attack came as the State Government introduced new legislation in parliament that will see owners of declared dangerous, menacing or restricted breed dogs serve up to 10 years in jail if their dog kills another person.
The legislation also introduced a range of other new penalties to compel owners of dangerous and restricted breed dogs to adequately manage their animals.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Peter Walsh said owners who failed to notify council where their dog escaped could be charged $2442 and would be required to put warning collars on their dogs when they are not at their property.
The action comes after the horrific death of four-year-old St Albans resident Ayen Chol.
Meanwhile, Brimbank Council has given owners until 29 September to register their dogs.
Peter Lewinsky, chair of Brimbank administrators, said the council had received between 20 to 30 calls a day from people enquiring about or seeking to register their dogs, however only one restricted breed dog had been registered with the council since then.
“We are concerned that more responsible pet owners have not come forward to have their dog registered. The simple message to them is register your dog now,” Mr Lewinsky said.
