Ipswich City Council

Dogs

Aggressive Dogs and Dog Attacks

Dogs in Australia attack many people each year. Councils are working hard to try to reduce this through Legislation and public education. The reasons for dog attacks are many and varied.

The following is a song entitled 'Hide Your Sausages'. It is part of the Moreton Bay Regional Council's Petsmart Program and is designed to educate children on how to react around aggressive dogs.

Hide Your Sausages - Petsmart Song

Understanding a Dog's Behaviour

Dogs may bite when they are frightened or when they have been provoked to act aggressively. Leave dogs alone if they show any of the following signs:

A frightened dog:

has its ears back
has its tail curled under its legs
tries to minimise its size by hunching or lying down.

An aggressive dog:

shows its teeth and/or snarls
has its ears laid back but not totally lowered
has its tail raised
tries to make itself look bigger by raising its hackles and standing on the tips of its paws

Next time you are in contact with a dog, think about what your correct approach should be and attempt to interpret the dog's body language. Make sure you educate your children and continue to reinforce the best way to deal with dogs.

Early Signs of Aggression

Does your dog ever tense up, stare, raise its hackles, growl, lift its lips or snap, when:

Eating or food is around?
Its ears, paw, tail or belly is touched?
Someone goes near its bed or toys?
Someone tries to move the dog from a comfortable spot?
It is told off?
Someone puts on its collar?
Someone grabs the dog, or tries to pick it up?
It is approached by people, children or other dogs?

Does your dog lunge out at people or dogs walking past?

Does your dog rush out barking and growling at passersby?

If the answer is ‘yes' to any of these questions, your dog may be aggressive. These are all early warning signs. Seek professional advice to control your dog's behaviour.

How to Avoid an Attack

When approaching dogs:

Never run towards a dog you don't know
In general, avoid patting dogs you don't know
Always obtain permission from the owner to pat their dog
Approach the dog on an angle, not from behind or in front
Slowly extend the back of your hand (not an open palm) and let the dog sniff your hand
Stroke the dog gently on the side of the chest or under the chin (not on the head)
Stop patting the dog if it backs away or does not sniff your hand

When approached by a strange dog:

Never pat the dog
Don't run away; stand still
Don't kick at the dog, squeal or jump
Avoid eye contact with the dog
Keep your hands firmly by your sides and don't wave them around
Slowly back away
When the dog wanders off, quietly walk away

What to do if a Dog Attacks You or Your Pet

If you or your pet is attacked by a dog, you should contact Council on (07) 3810 6666 as soon as possible after the attack. You should provide information about the location, time and date of the attack, a description of the offending dog and, if possible, the address of the dog's owner. If the dog bit you, visit a doctor as soon as possible for appropriate treatment. A written statement from your doctor that your injuries are consistent with a dog bite will assist with evidence for court should it be required.

If the dog attacked your animal, take your pet to the vet so its injuries can be assessed. Sometimes there may be few external signs of injury but internal injuries may have occurred.

Once you have reported the attack to Council, an Officer will contact you for a statement and to collect other evidence. You may be asked to identify the dog involved in the attack from a photograph. The nature of any further action will depend on how far you wish Council to pursue the matter.

Penalties for the owner of a dog involved in an attack may include fines, removal for the dog from the area, seizure or destruction. A dog may also be declared a dangerous dog (if serious attack) or a menacing dog as a result of an attack. This declaration imposes higher registration fees and restrictions on the keeping of the animal.

Common Myths About Dog Attacks

Myth 1: Only certain breeds of dogs will attack people.
False: Any age, breed, sex and size of dog may bite. Some dogs or breeds of dogs may be more likely to bite than others if not socialised, trained and properly controlled. What the dog owner does with the dog after it is born, is more important in prevent aggression than the breed of the dog.

Myth 2: A dog that attacks livestock or animals is always dangerous to people.
False: Not all dogs which attack other animals are dangerous.

Myth 3: Dogs only attack if the person has provoked the dog by teasing or being cruel.
False: Dog attacks can be provoked accidentally. The victim may not be to blame.

Myth 4: Dogs will bite if they are fed fresh meat.
False: A dog's diet will not make it attack people.

Myth 5: It is normal for a dog to growl or snap at you or others.
False: These are signs of aggression and need to be controlled in the early stages or the aggression will become worse.

Last Updated 27 Jun 2011 |

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