Group bites shire for ”attack story”

Jane Emerick
Surf Coast Shire has jeopardised workshops on new offleash rules with a media statement highlighting dog attacks, according to a Torquay pet owners’ group.
Torquay and Surf Coast Dog Action Group slammed the shire over the statement, titled ‘Attack Impact on Surf Coast Dog Law Review’.
The statement said an unleashed dog attacked a resident, leaving the victim with a bite wound and bruising to his left leg.
The dog action group’s spokesperson criticised the timing of the release during a serries of community workshops on dog laws across the shire.
The statement also said the shire had received reports of 10 attacks on people, 13 on other dogs, 11 on domestic or native animals and 56 “menacing approaches” in the past three years.
“This media release reinforces an incorrect impression,” the spokesperson said.
“There are 5172 dogs registered in the shire and the incident rate shows less than one per cent of dogs are causing problems.
“We’re disappointed Surf Coast Shire would use this unfortunate incident to generate awareness of the review of dog regulations.”
The spokesperson said the group wondered whether the intent of the statement was to generate public interest in the workshops after 95 per cent of participants so far were dog owners.
“If this is the case, it’s unfortunate this attack has been used to try to achieve their objectives,” the spokesperson said.
A shire spokesman denied the press release “highlighted dog attacks”.
He said the attack was last week on Torquay Front Beach. Shire officers were investigating the dog and its owner.
The shire spokesman said the purpose of the release was to encourage as many people as possible to provide feedback on the dog laws before submissions closed on July 13.
“We do have these incidents and we’re using this to illustration and to encourage people to participate in the review,” the spokesperson said.