BERWICK
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Thursday, 4 May, 2023
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Childcare development concerns
Community backs Buster Four to five days a week, Marty Johnson walks his Greyhound Buster up to the Hampton Park shops, where he waits patiently as Marty does his shopping. “Most of the regulars know us there, or see us walking in the area,” Marty said. But the pair have been noticeably absent from their neighbourhood walks recently, after Buster was attacked at a Parkdale Dog Beach in April. Thankfully, the Hampton Park community rallied around the local duo, generously contributing to a GoFundMe page created to get Buster back to health. Story page 7
Marty Johnson and his rescue Greyhound Buster, who was recently the victim of an attack at an off leash dog beach. 332532 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
Dog attack a day A Berwick dog trainer says a lack of pet-owner education is fuelling high levels of dog attacks in Casey. Power Pooches owner Jake Cini responded to Casey Council data showing more than 350 dog attacks in the region over the past 12 months, highlighting he has helped 120 dogs overcome anxiety and other emotional issues since starting his business 18 months ago. “I never thought I’d be inundated,” he said. “I certainly believe we could lower the number (of dog attacks) if Casey Council did what they were supposed to do.”
Berwick, Narre Warren and Cranbourne topped the list of dog attack locations in Casey. According to Casey Council, there were a total of 382 dog attacks, including 118 rushes, reported between April 2022 and April 2023. Of those, 164 were dog-on-dog attacks and 100 were dog-on-human attacks, with 18 attacks being prosecuted in court this year. Mr Cini said the only education service which the council offers was the state government’s Responsible Pet Ownership program for children between the ages of four and 12. “Everybody should have some level of un-
derstanding of body language to own a dog,” he said. “We need to be able to read our dog’s emotions.” Most Casey residents can own up to two dogs without a permit, depending on the property size, with 28,013 dogs currently registered with the City of Casey. Dog owners must keep their dog on a leash in all public places (including footpaths, schools, shopping centres, car parks, tracks and conservation bushland), at an active reserve where an organised sporting event is hap-
pening, within 20m of children’s playgrounds and play equipment, at any organised public meeting or at any permanent barbecue or picnic area, as well as any location with signage requesting dogs be leashed. Out of the 382 reported dog attacks, 60 occurred in Berwick, 39 in Narre Warren and 34 in Cranbourne, while there were a further 33 in Hampton Park and 30 in Endeavour Hills. Casey Council connected communities manager Sara Ball said the council was required to investigate all dog attacks and other offences relating to domestic animals. Continued page 7
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