‘Keep dogs under control’

LOCAL dog owners are being warned to be mindful of their responsibilities and to ensure their dogs do not pose a threat to the safety of other people or animals.
Casey mayor Kevin Bradford has reminded dog owners to ensure that their dogs are under control at all times.
The warning follows recent concerns raised by the community.
“Just this week the CEO and I met with a family of an older resident who had been bitten by a dog, which had escaped from its yard,” Cr Bradford.
“There have been around 19 serious incidents involving dogs so far this year and the large majority of these cases could have been easily avoided had the dog owners exercised more caution.
“Being negligent or flouting the law by not restraining your dog properly or being careless, can lead to serious harm to others.
“Often the victims involved can be the most vulnerable in our community, such as the very young or frail aged.
“It is absolutely deplorable when some dog owners refuse to take their responsibility seriously.”
Cr Bradford said in addition to potentially harming someone else, irresponsibility could endanger the dog itself as well as other pets.
Owners can also incur heavy penalties, including court action and fines of more than $2000 should an incident occur.
“Becoming a responsible pet owner is by far the simplest and safest option,” Cr Bradford said.
“This involves having the pet registered with up-to-date contact details, obeying the various laws when exercising the dog and, most importantly, having the dog appropriately restrained and under control at all times.”