Established in 1981 as the
proudly serving Sunbury and Macedon Ranges
26 AUGUST, 2025
Kangaroo great Anthony Stevens writes exclusively for Star Weekly 12790528-JD33-25
....SEE SPORT Book week barnyard Complete Kids in Sunbury doesn’t horse around when it comes to Children’s Book Week. The childcare and out of school hours care service completely transformed its reception area into a scene straight out of Old McDonald’s Farm, the classic children’s nursery rhyme. The interactive play area greets the children as they walk through the door, with the space full of interactive pieces like a hobby horse, ride on tractor and plenty of farm-themed toys. Centre director Alana Anderson said all Complete Kids OSHC, kinder and daycare services go all in on book week every year. “We think that it just brings that magic to life through books and stories and it’s a way that we all connect with each other as well,” Ms Anderson said. More book week fun: Page 10
Cooper, Summer, Ella, Stevee, Otis and Jackson are loving the farm display. (Damjan Janevski) 493591_02
Attacks prompt changes By Georgia Tacey A series of dog attacks in Sunbury in 2024 have contributed to a push to change the state’s Domestic Animals Bill in a bid to boost community safety. The state government has introduced an amendment to the bill to parliament last week. The amendments strive to give council authorised officers clearer powers to seize dangerous dogs from backyards without a warrant. Sunbury MP Josh Bull welcomed the introduction of the Domestic Animals Amendment (Rehoming Cats and Dogs and Other Matters) Bill 2025 and said he advocated for these changes after the 2024
dog attacks. As reported by Star Weekly, in August 2024, three dogs escaped from a Sunbury property and attacked multiple people over two consecutive days. The victims sustained both serious and non-serious injuries. The attacks prompted Hume council to conduct an internal review into the incidents, which was publicly released at the June 10 council meeting. Council’s review noted that officers were constrained by the limited powers available under the Domestic Animals Act 1994. Council officers had no lawful authority to seize or euthanise the dogs involved, and needed police assistance to respond
urgently, the review found. The report recommended urgent changes to the act to authorise the reasonable use of force by authorised officers when entering land, executing search warrants, or seizing animals. Under the government’s amended bill, authorised officers can enter residential land and backyards – but not the inside of a home – to seize a dog which is suspected to have threatened, chased, or bitten someone in the community, without having to wait for a warrant. While enforcement powers will remain the same, the bill will give greater certainty to officers so that dangerous dogs can be taken into care in a timely manner. Warrants will still be required to access
animals inside a home. “The bill contains important updates that provide clarity for the local council and their authorised officers who work on the front line to take appropriate action to improve community safety and prevent dog attacks,” Mr Bull said. The bill is also the first step towards creating a new Pet Rehoming Organisation Authorisation Scheme to be administered by Agriculture Victoria. The scheme will support the ongoing work of shelters and animal rehoming organisations across the state, giving groups that apply under the scheme special access to benefits such as an exemption from registering animals in their care for short periods of time with council.
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