Wallaroo, Qld: chickens and sheep attacked

"Dog owners are required, by law, to be in control of their dogs at all times."

Two chickens have been killed, and three more are missing, following an attack by two Staffordshire cross dogs.

The attack comes two weeks after sheep were killed by dogs on a neighbouring property.

The dogs were "chased off by alpacas and followed to their home in Prince St, Wallaroo."

Police were contacted but could not locate the dogs and so they referred the matter to council. Council contacted the dogs' owners who would not sign them over to council. Council then issued fines totaling $740 for two counts of dog attack, two counts of unregistered dogs, and two counts of having a dog at large.

"Dogs roaming free are considered to be 'at large' and can be taken away to the pound where the owners will have to pay a fine to get their dog back,” council Dog Control Officer Gary Oliver explained.

Prepared using report "Another dog attack on Evans Road", Yorke Peninsula Country Times 2/12/08, http://www.ypct.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4160&Itemid=66, accessed 4/12/08.

Rockhampton, Qld: Two hunting dogs attack man in his yard

"They turned on me like a pack ... pinned me down on the stairs and were on top of me."

A 42 year old Rockhampton father is grateful to have escaped the attack of two large hunting dogs this week.

Robert Koster was adding Christmas decorations to a tree in his front yard when the attack occurred. He had seen the two dogs in his neighbourhood over the previous three weeks and believed they were being minded by nearby residents on behalf of their owners.

On Monday afternoon Koster saw the dogs, which he describes in appearance as wolfhound-crosses, in his neighbour's yard. The neighbour chased them away and then they entered Mr Koster's yard.

Mr Koster then also began to shoo them down his driveway when they both turned and attacked him.

"I tried to stand my ground but I knew they were going to go at me," he said.

Mr Koster then ran away but, he says, "they pinned me down on the stairs and were on top of me. I was kicking at them, and yelling to my kids to unlock the front door at the top of the stairs. I had nowhere to go.

“I finally got inside, and just felt so lucky I got away.”

Mr Koster's 10 year old son Joshua and 8 year old daughter Gemma has also been in and around the front yard at about the same time and Mr Koster is thankful that he was attacked instead of them.

Council was contacted and have issued a warrant for the seizure of the dogs but it is believed they have since been returned to their owners and now cannot be located.

There have been 106 formal complaints regarding dog attacks on animals and humans in the Rockhampton region during 2008 (Yeppon: 52; Gracemere: 9; Mt Morgan: 1; Rockhampton: 44)

Prepared using report "Dogs bring terror to light chore", The Morning Bulletin 3/12/08, http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/story/2008/12/03/dogs-bring-terror-to-light-chore/, accessed 4/12/08.