Attack dog owners face 10 years' jail

15 Aug 2012, 1:52 pm   -   Source: AAP

Under tough new laws proposed in Western Australia, dog owners will face up to 10 years' jail if their pets kill or seriously injure people.

Dog owners will face up to 10 years' jail if their pets kill or seriously injure people under tough laws proposed in Western Australia.

The new bill is similar to laws adopted in Victoria after the mauling death of four-year-old Ayen Chol in Melbourne by a neighbour's dog last year.

Under amendments to WA's Dog Act, all new dogs will need to be microchipped from November 1, 2013.

The laws also seek to ban the sale, purchase, breeding and advertising of restricted breeds, and require them to be sterilised and microchipped within 30 days of legislation coming into effect.

Restricted breeds include American pit bull terriers, Japanese tosas, Perro de Presa Canarios, and Argentinian and Brazilian fighting dogs.

Owners of declared "dangerous dogs" - any breed that attacks or threatens people or animals - will be forced to erect warning signs, attach collars identifying their dogs as "dangerous", and keep them muzzled and leashed outside.

Local Government Minister John Castrilli told AAP on Wednesday there had been seven recorded serious dog attacks in WA in the past two months.

"It's about improving community safety through those increased controls over dangerous dogs and also higher penalties to encourage more responsible dog ownership," he said.

Mr Castrilli said the 10-year maximum penalty was "appropriate" and brought the offence into line with manslaughter.

RSPCA WA spokesman Tim Mayne told AAP his organisation welcomed compulsory microchipping, but breed-specific laws were the wrong approach.

"It's the deed, not the breed," he said.

"It's all about how an animal is socialised or trained.

"We would prefer to see all dog owners have training."

Mr Mayne said a recent attack on a five-year-old girl in WA involved "five or six different breeds, none of which were on the banned breed list".

Council rangers will also be given greater powers to deal with nuisance dogs.

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