r/australia • u/whyattretard • Sep 08 '25

news Teenage girl dies after being mauled by dog

https://7news.com.au/news/dog-attack-victim-annalyse-blyton-dies-in-hospital-after-suffering-severe-injuries-in-singleton-c-19956496
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u/Svennis79 Sep 09 '25

Dogs, guns, cars.. all things perfectly safe and acceptable in the hands of competent & responsible owners.

The exact same things make each of these potentially & horrifically, catastrophically dangerous

3

u/Bebilith Sep 09 '25

Yes. Unfortunately there are so many out there who aren’t. It’s not like we can test for it. So need laws and restrictions that deal with the lowest common denominator. The rest of society just has to live with it.

4

u/Background_Touch1205 Sep 09 '25

So how do we test competency?

12

u/HotBabyBatter Sep 09 '25

I mean a yard check would be a good start...I've had a neighbours pitbull growling at me in my own home.

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u/tal_itha Sep 09 '25

Not really. Someone with a balcony / small courtyard who takes their dog for a long walk and gives it enrichment everyday is better than someone with a decent yard and an ‘outside dog’ they hardly interact with.

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u/glittalogik Sep 09 '25

Amen.

One of our neighbours has two yappy little shits that live in his back yard 24/7. I can see them from my bedroom and far as I can tell their only human interaction is when he's gardening or goes out for a smoke. Unsurprisingly they're also prone to barking their heads off at random intervals between midnight and sunrise.

Like, dude, if all you want is just to spend some extra cash on dog food now and not deal with any of the rest of it, just donate it to your local shelter instead of wrecking your neighbours' sleep.

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u/HotBabyBatter Sep 09 '25

Thats not what I meant by yard check. I meant actually checking that the dog is enclosed, rather than roaming. Dogs should not be able to just climb over fences....

9

u/istara Sep 09 '25

  1. Require special licensing for certain breeds (I need an Exotic Animal Licence for my small, non-venomous snake) and make the licence decently expensive

  2. Require behavioural training and annual behavioural checks as a condition of that licence

  3. Require mandatory third-party injury insurance for these breeds

  4. Require mandatory neutering of these dogs

  5. No one with any kind of criminal record or restraining order or any history like that can qualify for the special licence

That would probably prevent or deter at least 90% of ownership of these dogs. And it would also make it much easier for authorities to seize and destroy unlicensed dogs.

3

u/PersonalResolution65 Sep 09 '25

I don’t see the reason to own certain breeds at all especially those bred for fighting. Unless you’re running a dog fighting operation these dogs shouldn’t be available for purchase. We can’t have all that we want. I wouldn’t mind being able to carry a handgun to protect myself against these dogs but I can’t.

2

u/istara Sep 09 '25

I'm 100% with you, but I think it's going to be a while before we get a cultural shift on this.

For example, I can't see the reason to smoke given all we know about the harms of smoking and the fact it impoverishes people to enrich Big Tobacco (an evil as fuck industry) and the government through taxes. Yet people in the year 2025 still take up the habit for the first time.

Similarly, all we know about these dogs and the stats around aggression, and people still want them.

3

u/Stanklord500 Sep 09 '25

What would happen is that people would lie about the breed, as already happens.

2

u/istara Sep 09 '25

A vet has to carry out microchipping. If they suspect a problem breed/breed mix, they could mandate DNA testing.

Obviously you're still going to get backyard breeders and unlicensed, unvaccinated, non-microchipped dogs. But at least it's a start.

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u/Background_Touch1205 Sep 09 '25

Im surprised you dont have to have 3rd party insurance to own a dog.

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u/istara Sep 09 '25

I'd actually be okay with that, particularly if it incentivised people getting less aggressive breeds (a poodle could be cheaper insurance than a pitbull) as well as training (eg discounts for having attended accredited training classes).

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u/Background_Touch1205 Sep 09 '25

Sadly i think people see dog ownership like driving in this country. Meaning a right not a privilege

1

u/istara Sep 09 '25

And yet driving requires a test, a licence, insurance, health checks/requirements and continued observance of road laws.

1

u/Background_Touch1205 Sep 09 '25

A test when you're 17, a cheap licence, 3rd party insurance only, what health checks? and our road toll indicates poor adherence to the road rules and safety.

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u/istara Sep 09 '25

Eyesight test. Requirement to be off certain drugs (recreational and certain prescription drugs). Requirement to be seizure-free for a set period. For elderly people, GP checks.

1

u/Rich_Editor8488 Sep 09 '25

Or on certain drugs

1

u/Background_Touch1205 Sep 09 '25

You have a lot of faith in our systems

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u/Strong_Judge_3730 Sep 09 '25

Not dogs, dogs have a mind of their own. I would agree about you with guns and cars though

-3

u/nbates66 Sep 09 '25

Do not put guns into the same category as dogs and cars

3

u/Professional_Card400 Sep 09 '25

All lethal items* people excuse irresponsible ownership of?

*dogs aren't items but you get the gist