Page 3433 - Week 11 - Thursday, 15 November 2007
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to be particularly dangerous. We know, for example, of the pit bulls, which have a lot of difficulty unclamping their jaws once they attach themselves to you. But we also know that a lot of the attacks on humans are not by dogs which some jurisdictions are declaring as dangerous. I am concerned about some of the dangerous dogs.
We have not canvassed what we define as being dangerous—whether we are just talking about danger to humans or whether we mean dangerous to other people’s pets. I have rescued a kitten from the mouth of a great dane. It frightened the daylights out of me, I have to tell you, but I rescued a kitten from the mouth of a great dane. Great danes are not on the list of dangerous breeds. I also know that jack russell terriers are trained to go down rabbit warrens and bring out rabbit kittens; if they get under a fence and into somebody’s yard, they are known to attack cats and small dogs in those yards. That breed is not on the list of breeds.
I believe, and the government believes, that dangerous dogs are dog specific. We are going to talk about the muzzling of greyhounds once they are retired—or lack of it. This shows us that training, affection and the environment of a particular dog have an enormous bearing on whether that dog is actually dangerous or not. It is also a case of whether the dog gets out. We know, for example, that labradors are very good dogs around the home, but they can attack somebody who is a stranger to that home as a reaction when they are being overprotective of the people who are in that home—particularly if they get attached to young children.
We know that blue heeler cattle dogs are great work dogs and are very affectionate pups. But I can tell you from personal experience, Mr Speaker, that as they get older they get crankier. If the environment of that dog is wrong or inappropriate, you have got yourself a very dangerous dog on your hands. And let me give another anecdote. I have scars on my own right hand because my father brought into our home an alsatian-kelpie cross that had been abused as a pup—absolutely abused: belted with sticks and cricket bat sized objects. It had been taken to the RSPCA. My father felt sympathy for this particular dog and brought it to our home. We treated it with an immense amount of affection. When it was sleeping at my feet, when I was a young person, I got up and nudged the dog with my foot, as you do. The dog reared up and bit me on my hand. It put its canines completely through my hand and I bear the scars to this day.
None of the breeds I have spoken about are on the list. In relation to all the incidents involving the breeds that I have discussed, I believe it was an individual dog in a very unfortunate circumstance that caused them.
Mr Mulcahy: Don’t you think some are inherently dangerous, though?
MR HARGREAVES: Mr Mulcahy asked a very good question: are some inherently dangerous? The answer to that is yes, clearly. I would argue, for example, that a jack russell terrier is an inherently dangerous dog. I would argue that an alsatian is an inherently dangerous dog. I also know that spaniels are responsible for many of the dog attacks that take people to hospital; they are inherently a dangerous dog. But there are treatments and environments that can prevent that.
We will not be supporting the opposition’s amendment at this particular time, although I do respect the position from which the opposition comes.
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