Victim's mum seeks change to dog laws

The mother of a 7-year-old girl who was attacked by a dog in Arrowtown wants laws amended to make it illegal to have dogs off leashes in public areas.

Brehna Williams was attacked by a red heeler _ not a banned breed _ while playing at a reserve near Isabel Crt on September 8.

oh, what's the inference here? all dogs should be banned ?!?

The animal was later destroyed.

I'd love to know the whole story. We get the mother's version which might be quite different to what actually happened

Ten weeks later her mother Rae said Brehna had a small puncture mark near her mouth that a plastic surgeon did not expect to fully heal.

Do we ban bicyles because they might cause injury to a kid?

Brehna also had to wear plasters on her forehead for the next year in an effort to avoid permanent marking.

I have a markings from my fall off a bike at 9 years old. What's the big deal... unless you are blonde and a little girl.

Owners could not be relied on to make the choice of leashing their dogs, and so the council should do it for them, Mrs Williams said. (mother)

Nanny state, here we go again..

(...)

Mrs Williams said Brehna was recovering well psychologically and had played with dogs since the attack.

So what's the problem?

"Squirrels are still my favourite animal," Brehna said. "But dogs are my second."

I must agree with the kid. I love squirrels too...

Family fined $18,750 over 'shocking' dog neglect

A court has fined three family members $6250 each for mistreating their dogs in what the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) is describing as a shocking case of neglect.

Ian, David, and James Livingstone pleaded guilty today in Dannevirke District Court to five charges relating to the malnutrition, emaciation and flea infestation of their dogs, Spud, Joy, Bess, Tui and Jake.

Spud died in April last year when an animal control officer visited the property.

The Livingstones were each fined $6250, plus $889 legal costs. James Livingstone was also ordered to pay $213.80 vet costs.

The control officer alerted MAF after his visit to the property where he found Spud lying flat on the ground in a kennel area holding the five dogs.

The dog went through deaths throes and died in front of the officer.(... lots to read inbetween)

"It's pretty simple really – feed your dogs and monitor their condition and well being.

"There can be no excuse for cruelty of this nature and I am pleased this family is being held to account for their actions."

I would have hoped that the whole family went to prison ! Cruelty to animals is a precursor to cruelty to children.

Nicky Watson offers reward for missing dog

A "distraught" Nicky Watson has offered a reward in a bid to find her lost dog that went missing over the weekend. MORE>>

Hum... they do say that dogs look like their owners..

Police fire 25 shots to save woman in dog attack

Australian police fired 25 shots to save a woman being attacked by two dogs after Taser stun guns failed to subdue the "rabid" animals.

The 29-year-old victim was attacked when she jumped a fence into her mother's neighbour's yard at Mandurah, south of Perth, yesterday afternoon because she heard a puppy in distress.
The woman was in a critical condition in hospital and lucky to be alive, police said.

The woman's mother screamed for help as the two bull mastiffs attacked.

Officers were called, three of them firing 25 rounds of ammunition at the dogs after Taser stun guns failed to subdue them, police said. MORE>>

Mauled dogs indicate organised fights

Authorities suspect organised dog fighting could be alive and well in west Auckland.
But proving it is difficult.

Waitakere Animal Welfare manager Neil Wells says staff have picked up a number of dogs with serious injuries indicating they may have been used in fights. Yet no one has ever been prosecuted.

Dog fighting is often linked to gangs and Mr Wells says it’s difficult to get enough evidence to proceed with court action.

He says his staff have dealt with up to four cases over the past year that may be linked to organised fighting. MORE>>

Dogs' blood lifeline for others

A pack of greyhounds have hung up their racing harnesses for a life in the country - and the occasional blood donation to other canines.

Neil Marshall has six greyhounds who are now the lifeline to hundreds of dogs throughout the country.

Before being rescued, the dogs were destined for euthanasia at the end of their racing career.

The New Zealand Companion Animal Blood Bank, located on a farm in Colyton near Feilding, is the only private animal blood bank in the country.

It supplies blood to clinics from the Bay of Islands to Invercargill.

MORE>>

Abandoned puppies' ears deliberately mutilated

Brent McCabe received a nasty surprise when he went to investigate the sound of dogs yelping and found two deliberately mutilated puppies.

McCabe said he was shocked to find the dogs, which had bleeding ear stumps and were abandoned near the creek not far from his Whangarae Bay home, near Okiwi Bay in the Marlborough Sounds.

One of the crossbred dogs was tied to a tree while the other was free.

"I've never seen anything like it," he said. MORE>>

Dog fighting is alive and well in NZ :(

Fireworks-mad dog chews through door

A dog was so terrified by fireworks he chewed his way through an aluminium garage door.

The dog owners never knew to desensitise this dog to loud noises...

Levi the Staffordshire cross injured his paws and mouth in his desperate scramble to escape, leaving a pool of blood in the garage.

His owner, Maria Fraser- Crook, said seven-year-old Levi was distressed by fireworks near their home in Hamilton on Saturday so he was put in the garage.

This dog had a firework phobia for 7 YEARS !!! How irresponsible ! Dog owners need to take better care of their dog and teach them well.

After Levi got through the chewed door he fled to the bottom of the section. He was seen by a vet but did not need treatment.

Mrs Fraser-Crook said yesterday that Levi was still jumpy and was being comforted by her son, eight-year-old Dylan Crook.

All Dylan is doing is reinforcing that 'being jumpy' is okay. A dog needs a leader who will show him the way of the human world. Needs a teacher to teach him that loud noise in nothing to fear. Go to http://www.doglinks.co.nz/problems/problems.htm under The Fearful Dog to understand how to help a fearful dog.

She has joined calls for the banning of the sale of fireworks to the public and has written to Prime Minister Helen Clark outlining her views.

Perhaps you should be banned from owning dogs, or be forced to take dog lessons!! Why should the majority of people who enjoy fireworks pay for her negligence?

"She should have banned them last year when she had the chance." Sheese...
I suggest you look for a dog trainer near you. Let me help. Go to
http://www.doglinks.co.nz/trainers_NZ/trainers.htm

What kind of dog are you?

There's an old adage that dog owners resemble their dogs. Is it true?

I don't think I look like either of my dogs, and we certainly don't share any personality traits.

Buckley is well-known to be overly flatulent and a bit dopey. Sniffon Griffon is fat and lazy.

He's realised that he'll never catch the neighbour's cat, so he no longer chases it.

I was relieved to learn that I resemble neither a farting lab-mation nor a furry german wire-haired pointer. According to the game What Kind Of Dog Are You? I am a Sheltie – animated, good with kids, independent.

The game is based on Suka – a computer built in 1975 by a Russian scientist and powered by the "canine algorithmic transfer system (Cats).

Players answer 10 questions about themselves and Suka determines their breed. MORE>>

GONE TO THE DOGS

Hi-tech dogs

Technology is putting "woofs" into words.

My 10-year-old friend Liam has taken to spending time at my house because I have two big dogs, and his parents won't let him have even one little one.

A while back, Liam asked me why Griffon Sniffon snoozes all day while Buckley runs around the garden barking at the sky.

I explained that Griff is an environmentally aware german wire-haired pointer. He sleeps in the sun all day to promote energy conservation and solar heating. He's also showing early signs of arthritis. MORE>>

Protest to stop beagle tests

Animal rights activists say they will protest outside a Hawke's Bay company that experiments on beagle dogs till the company shuts down.

About 40 protesters picketed Valley Animal Research Centre (Varc) at Whakatu, eight kilometres northeast of Hastings, on Saturday afternoon.

Save the Beagles Campaign spokesman Mark Eden said the protest at the centre, owned by Allen Goldenthal, would be the first of many aimed at shutting down the business. MORE>>

Research finds dogs can read people's minds

If you have ever had the feeling your dog is reading your mind, there is no need to fear for your sanity.

A Canterbury University student has found that dogs have the ability to second guess what humans are thinking.

Psychology student Michelle Maginnity carried out a range of experiments to test whether 16 dogs could tell if humans knew where food was hidden.

That's not quite the test that I thought someone would do in order to say "dogs can second guess what humans think".

The dogs were placed in a room with two people with a screen placed between them and the dog. The food was hidden in one of four containers behind the screen by one of the people.

The dog was able to see who hid the food, but not where it was hidden. I do think all the time with my dog. It's called 'wait here while I hid your toy in the other room.' He obviously uses his nose, but then again, he can see the trajectory of my body movement.

When the screen was moved, both people would point at a container. Very trainable.

"In a majority of cases, the dogs would show a preference for the person who knew and go to the container they were pointing at," Maginnity said. Training...

The dogs were prevented from sniffing the food out because all the containers had food in them to cover the smell. The dogs would identify the correct container by going and placing its nose over it. If the dog was able to place its nose on it, and not scratch at it, and/or otherwise, then the dog was trained to that that action... and therefore the whole experiment is based on dog training, and not reading a human's mind.

"All of the dogs did 24 trials," Maginnity said. Repeat, repeat with positive reinforcement... that's called training, not mind reading. But hey, I know that my dog knows how I feel most of the time.

"There were between 62 and 70 per cent responses to the right person.

"What this showed was that the dogs were able to take the perspective of the humans involved and attribute states of knowledge to these people." Wow, that's a huge statement to make for such a simple test.

Maginnity believes this may show dogs have the ability to draw conclusions from what they observe.

My dog does. He knows that he is invisible in the dark, and likes to sneak away just when the front door is open. Or perhaps, he knows that the pound guy doesn't work the graveyard shift :)

"They have evolved alongside humans and so their behaviour had to change to fit that," Maginnity said.

"Those that were able to interpret human social cues would be better off than others."

I would like to know what age the dog are, how long the dog owners had the dog. Why? to show if they can read any human's mind or just their owner's mind. Remember the horse who could count? (in the '30's) Clever Hans was his name...

Maginnity admits she only keeps cats, but is keen to get a dog after carrying out her research.

"People in the department were surprised at the ability the dogs exhibited."

Peter Burtenshaw, secretary of the Christchurch Dog Training Club, said the news came as no surprise. "Most dog owners will tell you their dogs can work things out for themselves, given the opportunity and encouraged in the right way."

Dog dies escaping fireworks

The Auckland SPCA is devastated after a dog died while trying to escape from fireworks in Manukau.

SPCA marketing manager Clare Waldron says the dog had been tied up in a backyard and became so terrified it tried to jump a fence, hanging itself in the process.

The dog was dead by the time the SPCA arrived. MORE>>

Dog mauls teen

A Dargaville teenager was mauled by a dog which jumped a fence surrounding a residential property.

(...) A dog jumped over a fence, grabbed her by the leg and pulled her to the ground before ripping out chunks of her flesh.

(...)"This pitbull-type dog pulled me down on the ground and then jumped straight on top of my leg," she says.

Samantha says she was scared the dog might start to "rip me up in my face and I was thinking; 'not my face, not my face', I just wanted it to stop and then someone grabbed it off me, thank goodness."

(...) "I'm afraid I told the owner how they should keep their dog on a chain because if people are going to have animals they should control them," she says.

Actually, chaining isn't really control. Training and understanding dog's body language is. I can feel for the mother, and her reaction, but I wish that there would be better education out there. Dogs are great animals. They 'serve' us well as we do to them.

Too bad people feel that they need protection, and get a dog for the wrong reasons.

A dog's life

Top dogs show their winning poise in the Canterbury Canine Obedience Club Championship trials at the Marylands Reserve in Christchurch at the weekend. More than 100 South Island dogs competed in the two-day test of agility and obedience.

MORE>>

Hard-worker sniffs out bedbugs

Outside late on a Thursday afternoon, Joni the beagle is behaving like any other dog. Appearances can be deceiving.

Once clothed in her green working jacket, Joni is on the frontline in the battle against a blood-siphoning pest.

Bedbugs are a wingless, flat, insect about 5mm long which feed on human blood and usually live in and around beds. MORE>>

Neutering law unfair: breeder

A Brightwater dog breeder says plans to neuter menacing dogs are unfair and will not reduce dog attacks.
But Nelson and Tasman councils say government proposals could bring national consistency to dog control laws and improve their effectiveness.

Mark Elvines, who breeds a range of hunting dogs including the argentine dogo, which is classified as menacing, says proposals to tighten dog laws fail to address the more crucial issue of dog ownership.

In eight years of working with argentine dogos, Mr Elvines said he had never had an incident where a dog bit a person.

He said most dog attacks happened in urban areas and were the result of owners keeping the wrong breed in the wrong environment.

MORE>>

You And Your Pet May Be More Alike Than You Think

Do you and your pet look alike? Share the same sense of humor? Starting to wear the same clothes?

A new British study is finding that the longer an animal has been with its owner the more likely the animal is to pick up the owner’s characteristics.

2,500 pet lovers have been involved in a study that is being led by author and professor Richard Wiseman of the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom.

Even though the study is still ongoing, Wiseman said he has made some conclusions.

He said, “When you look at the data, you see that dog owners are spontaneous and fun loving, cat owners tend to be emotionally sensitive and independent and reptile owners don’t care too much for other people. They are very much independently minded.”

“What we’ve seen across the board, whether it’s cat owners or dog owners, is amazing personalities between those two,” Wiseman said. “So if you have someone [who] has a good sense of humor, they are claiming their animal also has that sense of humor. Someone who is outgoing has an extroverted cat or dog. So a lot of similarity between owners and their pets.”

Wiseman said he found some surprising data in regards to fish owners. About 60% of fish owners said that their fish have a very good sense of humor.

“The fish owners are the happiest, they are the most content in our sample and they are the ones claiming their pets make them laugh the most,” Wiseman said. “It could be that fish don’t have a sense of humor, or maybe we are onto a groundbreaking discovery here.”

Also, Wiseman discovered that people who have been with their pet for ten years or more had a very similar personality with their pet.

Many pet owners agree that they share personality traits or habits with their pet. One cat owner said, “The cat’s very lazy; it comes in, eats, sits around all day. Sits at the door to go out, you let it out, it comes back in again.”

The cat owner’s daughters said that’s how he also acts. Like father, like cat.

The new dog laws, what the newspapers say.

Editorial, November 1: Another bite at the dog laws
(...) The Government takes small steps on dog legislation but succeeds in making improvements each time. In Hamilton, a city of about 9000 dogs, there has been a significant decline in attacks on people in recent years. But the changes come at a cost to responsible owners. The cost of introducing changes in dog laws are met mostly through registration fees.

Menacing dogs face mandatory neutering (Dominion Post)
(...)The neutering of these dogs would not be mandatory, but councils would retain the power to require it.
"A good deal of the dog population is crossbreed, and that's something we will certainly have to come to grips with over time." What's to come to grips with-- ya mean that my border collie crossed with a beagle is a danger to society?
The Government also announced it would simplify the process of adding breeds to the import ban.

Dog laws get a bit more bite (Malborough Express)
(...)
The New Zealand Veterinary Association disagrees with the new plans. The association believes that focusing on dog breeds and types is not the right approach to preventing dog attacks on people. It says that branding dogs as dangerous by breed or type ignores the fact that all dogs are potentially dangerous and aggressive behaviour in dogs is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors.

The new proposals will not eliminate attacks by dogs but will certainly give the current laws a bit more bite. Any law change needs to be accompanied by a drive to educate dog owners. A well-trained dog owner - regardless of what breed the dog is - is less of a menace to society than an untrained one.

Local council ahead of new dog laws (Timaru Express)
Tightening of dog control laws is unlikely to have any immediate effect in the Timaru district.

Government tightens dog control

Wednesday, 31 October 2007, 10:22 am
Press Release: New Zealand Government
WEDNESDAY 31 OCTOBER 2007
Media Statement

Government tightens dog control

Associate Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta has announced a further tightening of dog control legislation.

The law was reviewed in the light of the most recent dog attacks.

“Dog safety needs good law, good enforcement, and support from the community and dog owners. In general, the law is robust and provides the tools councils need,” said Nanaia Mahuta.

MORE>>

Dog Control– Questions and answers

Dog Control– Questions and answers

What is the government's basic approach to dog control?

Dog safety depends on

• good law
• effective enforcement by local councils
• community support for the councils' work
• responsible dog ownership

Central government can provide support to councils, communities and dog owners, but central government action is not the whole answer.Will the proposals announced mean an end to dog attacks?

No. There is potential for injury wherever there is contact between dogs and people. The government proposals are intended to balance the need for dog safety with the benefits of responsible dog ownership.

Would any of these proposals have meant that any recent dog attack would not have happened?

Good law alone is not enough to stop dog attacks. In combination, good law, effective enforcement, community support and responsible dog ownership are effective in preventing attacks.

Why is the government not simply banning the dogs which cause all the trouble – e.g. Pitbulls?

Various pit bull terrier strains have bred with other breeds in the existing dog population. This means an outright ban could be difficult or even impossible to effectively enforce. On the other hand, by strengthening the laws, and the enforcement of the laws, dogs with undesirable tendencies can be brought under more effective control and their prevalence in the gene pool can be reduced. The proposals announced today support this approach. The government wants discussion on the possible banning of further breeds to continue, and will include this issue in the discussion paper to be released this year.

When were the decisions announced today made?

A paper was considered by Cabinet on 9 October 2007.

How do we know what issues were discussed?

A copy of the Cabinet paper is being released with this announcement.

What is in the Cabinet paper?

• The first part of the paper reviews dog control under the Dog Control Act 1996. The second part of the paper discusses and recommends options to improve public safety around dogs.

What has Cabinet decided?

Cabinet has decided to
• look at ways of enhancing the data available on dog safety and control
• enhance voluntary measures and regulation
• bring in new legislation to improve the dog control laws
• issue a discussion paper to ensure full consultation on further measures

Describe the way data, voluntary measures and regulation will be enhanced

• The Department of Internal Affairs will investigate how data could be improved, collected in a more consistent way, and made available to assist policy development and decision making. Data is currently collected by various agencies, which makes it difficult to build an overall picture of the effectiveness of the dog control regime.
• The Department of Internal Affairs will facilitate, in consultation with the sector, national guidelines for enforcement based on the experience of councils and professional opinion on best practice.
The Department of Internal Affairs has developed consistent safety messages for children (see www.dogsafety.govt.nz) The Department will facilitate the development, in consultation with councils and other organisations, an agreed set of wider messages about dog safety.
• The Presa Canario dog will be added to Schedule 4. This means the dog, not known to be in New Zealand, cannot be imported.

What new legislation is proposed?

• The law will require mandatory neutering of Schedule 4 menacing dogs (that is, dogs of a type classified menacing because of their breed).
• The law would allow more rapid responses to changing circumstances by allowing changes to the mandatory components of dog policy to be made by regulation.
• The process of adding a breed to Schedule 4 will be simplified.

What ideas are still up for discussion?

Before Christmas the Department of Internal Affairs will produce a discussion document on options introducing substantially new ideas into the regime, or involving substantial cost. These include:

• the addition of breeds of dog to Schedule 4 of the Act;
• the mandatory destruction of dogs classified as dangerous;
• elevating controls on menacing dogs to the level now applied to dangerous dogs;
• making it more explicit that owners are to provide proof as to the breed of a dog at the time of registration if required;
• preventing probationary owners from owning dogs that have been classified as dangerous or menacing (Councils may now disqualify someone from owning a dog or declare them to be a probationary owner if they incur more than three infringement offences within two years or are convicted of various dog-related offences);
• increasing the standard of containment required for dogs beyond the current provision of ensuring that the dog cannot “freely leave”;
• compulsory round-ups and/or faster destruction of unregistered dogs; and
• general or targeted dog owner licensing.

When does all this happen?
• Cabinet has agreed that the proposed new legislation be introduced and the intention is for it to be referred to a Select Committee before the House rises at the end of 2007.
• The Department is finalising drafting instructions for the Order in Council to add the Presa Canario breed of dog to Schedule 4 of the Act. This order requires a parliamentary resolution to come into force.
• The discussion paper will be issued before Christmas

Didn’t the government change the law in 2003? Why does it have to be changed again so soon?

The government will keep the dog control laws under review and may act to improve them again in the light of experience and changes in the way people own, house and manage dogs of different types. A wide range of changes to strengthen dog control were introduced in 2003 and it is now possible to see how these have worked, and where further improvements are needed.

Draft Background – present laws as strengthened in 2003

• It is unlawful to import any of the following breeds/types of dog (either live or semen, ova, or embryo):
• American Pit Bull Terrier
• Dogo Argentino
• Brazilian Fila
• Japanese Tosa
This list may be added to by Order in Council agreed to by Parliament.
• The 2003 Amendment Act established a category of ‘menacing dog’. If a council considers that a dog may pose a threat to any person, stock, poultry, domestic animal, or protected wildlife because of:
• any observed or reported behaviour of the dog; or
• any characteristics typically associated with the dog’s breed or type;
the council may declare the dog to be a menacing dog.
• If a council has reasonable grounds to believe that a dog belongs wholly or predominately to one or more of the four breeds/types listed above it must classify the dog as menacing.
• Menacing dogs must be muzzled when in public and may be required by the council to be neutered.
• Councils may now disqualify someone from owning a dog or declare them to be a probationary owner if they incur more than three infringement offences within two years or are convicted of an offence (not being an infringement offence) under the Dog Control Act, Parts 1 and 2 of the Animal Welfare Act 1999, section 26ZZP of the Conservation Act 1987, or section 56I of the National Parks Act 1980.
• A council may require probationary owners to undertake a dog education programme and/or a dog obedience course approved by the council.
• Those taking dogs out in public are be required to use or carry a leash at all times.
• Dangerous dogs must be leashed and muzzled when in public. Owners of dangerous and menacing dogs must advise anyone to whom they give their dog of the requirement that it be muzzled and leashed in the case of dangerous dogs when in public.
• Owners whose dogs are required by the courts to be destroyed are required to produce to the council within one month a certificate from a vet or dog control officer/ranger that the dog has been destroyed.
• It is an offence to attempt to unlawfully release a dog from a pound as well as to be in possession of a dog that has been unlawfully released from a pound.
• The most significant penalty is for owning a dog involved in an attack causing serious injury. The penalty was increased from a maximum of 3 months imprisonment or a fine of up to $5,000 to 3 years imprisonment or a fine of up to $20,000. Infringement fees have also increased by varying amounts.
• A dog owner must ensure at all times that, when their dog is on their property, it is either (a) under the direct control of a person, or (b) confined in such a manner that it cannot freely leave the property. If this requirement is not met the dog may be seized.

Powers of councils

• In 2003 the powers for dog control officers to seize unregistered dogs, dogs that have attacked or rushed (i.e. dogs in public places that have rushed or startled a person or animal and caused injury, endangerment, damage or death); and dogs not receiving adequate food, water, or shelter were clarified and in some cases strengthened.
• Dog control officers and rangers can seize a dog on private land where the dog is not constrained or under the control of a person over 16 years, and if the dog has been off the property not under control, i.e. roaming at large.
• Councils have the power to request information about the name, gender and description of a dog from its owner.
• Dog rangers can issue infringement notices.

Obligations on councils

• Councils are to report annually on their dog control policies and practices. The report is to contain certain specified information such as the number of dogs registered, the number of dogs declared dangerous and menacing, and the number of probationary or disqualified owners.
• Councils are required to revise their dog control polices, applying a strengthened criteria which places greater emphasis on public safety.

Microchipping

• All dogs first registered on or after 1 July 2006 (except working farm dogs) and all dogs classified as dangerous or menacing since 1 December 2003 are required to be microchipped. Dangerous and menacing dogs classified before 1 July 2006, had to be microchipped within two months of that date. Unregistered dogs released from pounds after 1 July 2006 are required to be microchipped, and registered dogs impounded twice by the territorial authority are also required to be microchipped.
• Territorial authorities are required to participate in a national dog control database that contains specified records/information. Territorial authorities can be levied to meet the on-going cost of the database.
• Regulations are in place governing the type of microchip to be used and the procedure for insertion.

The government is set to modify dog control laws, in a bid to eradicate dangerous breeds from the canine population.

The government is set to modify dog control laws, in a bid to eradicate dangerous breeds from the canine population.

Watch the Video

Tighter dog control laws only beginning - Kennel Club

Associate Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced the changes today after a review of dog control laws following a series of dog attacks. Ms Mahuta said it will be compulsory for menacing dogs, identified by breed, to be neutered.

She said many councils already required the neutering of menacing breeds or types of dog but the legislation would make this consistent nationwide. Gee, big changes I see... whoa !

Ms Mahuta also announced that the process of banning breeds from importation would be simplified. What? can't you tell a Poodle from a Dingo? or, is this the wrong country for Dingos?

The Presa Canario breed, not yet in New Zealand, would be banned here. Sounds like a Spanish bird.

Kennel Club chief executive Brian Priest said the best part of the announcement was the indication that responsible dog ownership was getting the ongoing attention of government. Oh my, oh my... will we get funded for talking about dogs in schools, and in our neighbourhood? not difficult. Every $5 from our dog registration (which should be free at any rate.. hey, we've got microchipping, don't we?) could go towards dog education. Check out Victoria in Australia..

"Today's news was never going to be an instant fix for dog control problems, but it is a beginning. But wasn't microchipping going to fix that? That's what the government lied to us about... ooops, I mean 'said to us'

"Previous ministers over many years have approached dog issues thinking that they only needed to `do something' and they could then forget about dogs for a couple of years - that was the wrong course." hum... please elaborate.

The Government was due to issue a discussion document for consultation before Christmas.

Ideas being considered included: the mandatory destruction of dogs classified as dangerous; compulsory round-ups and/or faster destruction of unregistered dogs; hum... hello! why should they be destroyed, they didn't chose to be unregistered. Thank God for organisations like Dogwatch in Christchurch who rescue Pound Dogs!!

educating the public about dog behaviour; I'm a qualified teacher, and dog trainer.. all you have to do is ask and the addition of breeds of dog to dog control legislation.

Mr Priest said adding more breeds to the `banned list' would not be a solution. It's like banning ectasy without banning alcohol

It would only lead to dogs being registered under other labels and would worry owners of quality purebred dogs, he said.

United Future leader Peter Dunne warned although the changes were a move in the right direction, there was still nobody monitoring whether they would reduce the incidence of dog attacks.

"The whole point of these changes is to reduce the number of people, and young children especially, who are the victims of dog attacks.

"But no-one is accurately monitoring which dog breeds are attacking our children, or how many attacks are happening and how severe they are," he said. Oh my gosh... for once I actually agree with Dunny!

"Without that information, today's proposals will only have limited impact." Now why doesn't he use this logic towards our drug laws ?