Hume City councillors have formally accepted the findings of a long-awaited review into dog attacks that put two Sunbury residents – a 71-year-old lady and a young mum – in hospital last August.
The report, which was originally due in December 2024, was nodded through by councillors on Tuesday 10 June. The review found council staff acted appropriately and within the law in their handling of the incidents and prior interactions with the dog owner.
However, the review identified “significant” legal and operational constraints that hindered their ability to respond more forcefully or prevent the attacks altogether.
The first attack happened in Melba Ave on Thursday 29 August and featured in TV news bulletins. A second mauling took place the following day in Withers Cl, and also made TV news headlines.
Download the dog attack report here – it is within the 10 June council agenda, item 8.5.
At the time, states the council’s report, its staff lacked the legal authority to enter residential properties or seize the dogs, despite a history of complaints and lawful interventions.
The review found council staff had no legal grounds to remove or euthanise the dogs before the attacks occurred, due to limitations under the Domestic Animals Act 1994.
Public information about how to report dog attacks was available on council’s website at the time, but the review found room for improvement – particularly in making it clearer that attacks can be reported at any time.
Still, council states there was no evidence to suggest that gaps in communication contributed directly to the August incidents.
Attending Monday’s meeting was Sunbury resident Cathy Cleaver. She told councillors the wider community needs reassurance there will be a dedicated person or team pushing the government for change that will give dedicated, trained officers, the power to act quickly and effectively in a “proactive manner when responding to claims of dangerous dogs”.
“Dog attacks are not a Monday to Friday, 9-to-5 arena. On previous out-of-hours calls, support has not met the requirements of the community,” she said.
“State government cannot and should not defer an action plan for this area of concern.
“I will always say that a domestic animal comes into this world as the most gentle little creature. It is we as humans that create the anger in them. Hence, it is we as humans that need to fix it.”
In the wake of the review, council has begun implementing changes aimed at strengthening its animal management response. These include:
- Creating a dedicated animal management team to focus on dog-related enforcement and investigations
- Improving officer training and establishing formal debriefing processes after critical incidents
- Expanding public education efforts around responsible pet ownership and early reporting of concerning behaviour
- Advocating for changes to state legislation to give council officers stronger powers in managing dangerous dogs
Council is to write to the Victorian Minister for Agriculture, calling for urgent amendments to the Domestic Animals Act 1994 to give local officers greater authority to act when there is a serious threat to public safety.
Click here to report a dangerous animal.
