By Emily Chapman Laing
Yet another dog attack has rattled Casey residents, with Clyde North local Lily Parson Tesmann recently saying goodbye to her fatally attacked pup Andre.
Andre sadly passed away on 26 May following an attack by two off-leash dogs while on his morning walk.
“I’ve always loved dogs and I’ve never been scared of them even if they were barking,” Ms Parson Tesmann said.
“But now I have a bit of PTSD and I’m scared.”
Andre was a mere 18 months old when the two larger dogs snatched him from Ms Parson Tesmann’s arms and fatally mauled him.
“At the time I wasn’t thinking about myself, I just wanted to protect him,” she said.
“I felt really helpless, dogs are so unpredictable.”
Although the two dogs fatally wounded her pup, Ms Parson Tesmann doesn’t believe the incident was the dogs’ fault.
“I don’t blame the dogs at all,” she said.
“They are animals. As much as you can train them, they are unpredictable.
“I blame the owners. If you are going to have dogs, train them properly and keep them secure.”
This is hardly the first incident of its kind in Casey.
Cranbourne, Berwick and Narre Warren have been listed as hot spots for dog attacks in Victoria.
Casey Council data reported more than 350 dog attacks in the region over the past 12 months.
Power Pooches owner Jake Cini recently told Star News the number could be lowered “if Casey Council did what they were supposed to do”.
Other Casey residents feel the same way, regarding the local council’s response to dog attacks with dismay.
“Casey Council do nothing about dog attacks,” local resident Lily Fetter said.
“Just a few weeks ago there was a report that City of Casey is the worst for dog attacks within the state of Victoria, I heard it on the radio.”
Ms Fetter’s own dog was mauled by an off-leash dog, just prior to Christmas.
Dalmatian Lacey required surgery, and Ms Fetter said she was lucky to have survived.
“I did all the work to track down the dog and its owner, including getting CCTV footage of the dog and its owner,” she said.
Ms Fetter did a number of letterbox drops with flyers including pictures of the dangerous dog.
She also posted on numerous social media pages.
Subsequently she found the owner.
“Casey Council have told me they’re not going to pursue charges against the dogs owner,” Ms Fetter said.
“They claim they can’t be certain it’s the right dog, as CCTV footage is not clear.
“I have told them I can identify the dog, I was there and I can also identify the owner and the young child that was with him at the time of the attack.”
Ms Fetter said Casey Council have done nothing other than offer to give a “fine for having an unregistered dog”.
“It’s like Casey Council sees these events as opportunities to make a quick buck,” she said.
“I believe they are blocking my access to justice and to being compensated for the dog attack.
“I remain out of pocket approximately $2000.”
In an email from 31 May, a City of Casey Local Laws Officer told Ms Fetter the council had “exhausted all avenues in this investigation to locate the offending dog and its owner to no avail”.
“Council conducted a full investigation into the dog attack which you reported to Council on 22/12/2022, unfortunately due to the lack of evidence Council was not able to proceed further with the matter,” the email said.
“In order to take enforcement action there is an extremely high threshold that our evidence must meet, this also aids in obtaining a successful outcome.
“Council was not able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the dog identified to allegedly been involved in the attack on ‘Lacey’ was the offending dog.”
City of Casey Manager Connected Communities, Sara Ball said the council is required to investigate domestic animal offences through to a conclusion.
“Authorised officers respond to allegations of dog attack complaints within 24 hours, and immediately if the incident is currently occurring or has just occurred,” she said.
“Our officers investigate all dog attacks that are reported to us through to a conclusion which, depending on the seriousness of the injuries, as prescribed within the Domestic Animals Act 1994, could be an infringement or prosecution.
“Keeping your dogs securely confined to your property, and ensuring they are always under effective control when out, are key measures to keep your pets and the community safe.”
Other Casey residents describe the council responses in more endearing terms.
“I was on the receiving end where my dog jumped on a neighbour within my property line,” resident Jacqueline Abercrombie said.
“The response from council was swift and fair.”
Likewise, Ms Parson Tesmann said the council have been “really helpful”.
“I’ve heard a lot of people complain about them in regards to dog attacks,” she said.
“They’ve been going through all of the registered dogs and they now have a very strong lead.
“They’re doing every properly.”
Ms Parson Tesmann said the council is actively investigating the incident, hoping to find the offending dogs “before the owner can hide them”.
According to the RSPCA, there are many factors that contribute to aggression in dogs.
“Dogs have complex social interactions, and their behaviour can change depending on many factors in the environment,” Jade Currie, RSPCA Victoria Training and Development Consultant said.
Socialisation, early trauma, fear and communication styles can all play a role in how dogs interact with unfamiliar animals.
Studies have also shown household stress can play a role in aggressive behaviour, causing dogs to react aggressively and unexpectedly.
“In terms of keeping your dog safe when out in public, the best thing owners can do is to learn how to read canine body language so they can better understand and interpret body language signals that will allow them to assess interactions with other dogs and notice any early signs of discomfort,” Ms Currie said.
