By Ann Marie Angebrandt
A WYNDHAM pit bull terrier will be destroyed for attacking a man in his 20s last Wednesday.
The man suffered facial injuries and was taken by ambulance to the Werribee Mercy Hospital. He was treated and released the same day.
The attack happened on Osterley Street, Werribee, about 10.30am.
Wyndham chief executive officer Ian Robins said the owner had surrendered the dog to the Council.
“Once the dog owner has submitted the appropriate paperwork, council officers will transport the animal from the pound to a Wyndham veterinarian, who will destroy the dog,” he said.
New state laws will result in pit bulls and other dangerous dogs bred out of existence.
Donna Moore, a Tarneit mother who has campaigned for tougher laws in Victoria against dangerous dogs since her daughters were attacked by a pit bull in 2003, said the recent attack adds weight to her fight.
She was concerned a panel now being convened to determine the definition of pit bulls would not consider cross-breeds as part of the new laws.
“Most pit bulls are not pure bred and the cross-breeds are just as dangerous,” she said. “We can’t stop half way in this.”
So far in 2005, the council has recorded 89 dog attacks on people.
That compares with 59 dog attacks against people in 2004 and 25 in 2003.
Mrs Robin said the increase could be attributed to the city’s population increase, a rise in the number of dog attacks reported to the council due to greater community awareness, and council rangers now working later in the evening to respond to calls.
Under the new Domestic Animals Act, owners are required to neuter breeds restricted under Commonwealth law, as well as individual dogs declared dangerous by a local council.
Pit bulls and other restricted breeds including Japanese tosas, and Argentinean and Brazilian fighting dogs have been prohibited from being imported since the 1990s.
But, only pit bulls and American pit bulls are known to be in Australia.
The changes also include doubling the penalty from $524 to $1048 for owners failing to provide a restricted breed dog declaration or providing false information on the declaration.
