By Ethan Benedicto
Dog attacks and rushes have been a recurring problem in the City of Casey, and for the financial year of 2023 to 2024, it’s projected to have a spike in incidents.
According to Callum Pattie, Casey’s connected communities manager, the current fiscal period at the end of February is at 192 dog attacks and rushes that have resulted in an injury.
Michelle Farrow, trainer and owner of Inspire Me Dog Training in Clyde North is adamant that dog owners, new and old inform themselves of the basics of dog training.
She said it is essential to “make sure that the owner has had some training themselves in recall and ensuring they have effective control of their dogs”.
“Getting your dog to come back to you is important – if your dog sees something and gets excited by that, the goal is to get the dog’s attention and focus back on the handler again.
“As opposed to the dog being obsessed by that thing that’s making them excited, or drawing away their focus,” Ms Farrow said.
Mr Pattie said that public places such as parks and streets “are the most common locations for dog attacks, usually involving dogs that have escaped from their home property or that were not being kept under effective control while in public”.
“Dogs that have not been adequately socialised with other animals are also more likely to demonstrate aggression if they find themselves not contained to their property, which can lead to instances of dog attacks,” he said.
With statistics from the 2018 to 2019 period until the 2022 to 2023 period, there has been an average of 252 dog attacks in the municipality, with the highest figure of 283 between 2019 and 2020.
As for Ms Farrow, education is still the biggest factor that could curb the rising numbers, for owners and canines alike.
“Owners can teach their dogs to be dog-neutral, and that’s probably what it comes down to.
“I think a problem with a lot of pet dog owners is they’re not equipped with the skills or knowledge to effectively deal with dogs rushing up to people.
“They tend to allow it to happen since they’re not aware of how to assist them to reduce the frequency or drop their dogs from doing those things,” she said.
Another issue that Ms Farrow highlighted was the lack of leashes on pets when out on walks, which for her is “unfair to owners that have their dogs on a leash”.
“Their dog might be walking a few metres in front of them and they [owners] don’t notice certain things.
“They might think that their dogs are great off-leash and friendly but you never know what can happen,” she said.
Mr Pattie echoed a similar sentiment, saying that certain key aspects need to be considered to keep the numbers low or prevent these attacks from happening in the first place.
“Keeping dogs securely confined within a property, and ensuring they are always under effective control when out, are key measures to keep pets and the community safe.
“The City of Casey provide incentives for residents to get professional dog training, with discounts on dog registration available for those who successfully complete a course with an Agricultural Victoria-approved dog trainer,” he said.
Employing an experienced dog trainer is something that Ms Farrow has always advocated for, recommending first-time dog owners opt for less aggressive breeds and something that “suits their lifestyle”.
“It’s distressing to see so many novice dog owners that are buying working breeds or breeds that are quite full-on, and they can’t handle them because what happens is they get them and they don’t know what to do with them,” she said.
For more information on dog ownership, registration, and reporting dog attacks, visit the Dogs in Casey page at casey.vic.gov.au/dogs-casey
