Dog owner to face harsher penalties after man attacked in Brisbane park
A 37-year-old man was left with serious injuries after he was attacked by two dogs in Chermside in Brisbane's north.
A man was gravely injured by two dogs in a Brisbane park last week, and the owners of the animals are set to face harsher penalties under state law. Brisbane City Council's dog destruction order for the pair was lifted on Wednesday, replaced with a proposed dangerous dog declaration. The owner now has two weeks to respond to the dangerous dog order.
Police are still investigating the incident. Council Chair Councillor Sarah Hutton revealed that the attack's severity called for more stringent penalties under state law, rather than council by-laws. The maximum fine under state law is $120,890 or two years in jail, compared to the council's $51,810 maximum fine. Police are also investigating whether another man found dead in the same area two days later was killed by the dogs.
The owner has had no prior warning that his dogs were dangerous, and they were registered at a nearby address. The council will review any response from the owner before deciding on the dogs' future, with the possibility of an appeal to the Queensland Administrative Tribunal. The fate of the dogs will also depend on the outcome of the police investigation, which is ongoing.
No charges have been filed. The council is working closely with Queensland Police to protect residents and hold irresponsible dog owners accountable.
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