Legislation introduced into the Parliament this week will impose a moratorium on the destruction of restricted breed dogs, while a Parliamentary Inquiry into the effectiveness of current legislative arrangements is underway.
In line with the Andrews Labor Government’s election commitment, councils will be required to hold restricted breed dogs, rather than euthanising them, until the Parliamentary Inquiry and the consideration of its recommendations is completed.
The legislation will impose a moratorium on the destruction of a restricted breed dog where the Domestic Animals Act provides for it to be destroyed solely because of its status as a restricted breed dog.
The moratorium is the first step of the Labor Government’s commitment to review Victoria’s restricted breed legislation.
The Inquiry will be established to investigate the current arrangements, benefits and challenges of legislation for restricted dog breeds, with a final report provided to the Parliament.
Evidence will be sought from dog attack victims, dog owners, breed experts and organisations such as the RSPCA and the Australian Veterinary Association, to determine the best way of stopping attacks.
The moratorium will not affect the current requirements of councils to detain dogs in accordance with existing Breed Specific Legislation requirements.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Agriculture, Jaala Pulford
“We must keep the community safe and to do that our laws need to be effective – that’s why we will ask the Parliament to review these laws so that we can get them right.”
“There are dangerous dogs still in the community and other dogs being put down that are known to be safe.”
“Local councils and veterinarians are concerned and even the Supreme Court described these laws as incoherent.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020