Further to our post of January 11, 2016, James Caleja was last week sentenced to 3 months jail for shooting Spot the kangaroo with a crossbow. An extract from the Age newspaper report follows: “A man who donned camouflage gear and shot a kangaroo with a crossbow outside a family’s home has been jailed for…
The Parliamentary Inquiry into the legislative and regulatory framework relating to restricted breed dogs was established in 2015. In March 2016 the Victorian Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry published its report. Acting upon a key recommendation from the Inquiry, the Victorian government has announced that it will remove the ban on registering restricted breed dogs,…
On 13 April 2016 the Panel was contacted regarding Butch, a 5 year old male Staffordshire Bull Terrier held at Hawkesbury Pound who was due to be put down that day. He had failed a temperament assessment test conducted at the Pound. The assessor found him to be friendly with people but highly dog reactive.…
The consumer watchdog says it has no sympathy for an egg supplier fined by the Federal Court for misleading buyers. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) took Derodi Pty Ltd and Holland Farms Pty Ltd to court, claiming it had falsely labelled eggs as free range from January 2012 to December 2014. The…
Wagga Wagga City Council is under fire amidst claims that a large number of animals in its care have simply disappeared without a trace. An ongoing Fairfax Media investigation has revealed that 44 dogs and 37 cats have vanished from Wagga Wagga City Council’s animal shelter records in the last three years. Their disappearance coincided…
Today State and Federal ministers sacrificed animal welfare and ignored consumer sentiment when they agreed to define “free-range” as a stocking density of up to 10,000 birds per hectare. Greens animal welfare spokesperson, Senator Lee Rhiannon said the decision was a disgraceful move by the National Party to misuse the Australian Consumer Law to…
The Victorian parliamentary committee of inquiry investigating the regulatory framework for restricted breed dogs today published its report and recommendations, the key underlying conclusion of which is that Victoria’s BSL is not working. The Committee has recommended that the government lift the current ban on the registration of pit bulls that have not been…
Media reports suggest a parliamentary report – to be published this month – is expected to recommend repealing 2012 restricted breed dog legislation that resulted in so many dogs being put on death row in Victoria. The Panel made a submission to the Economy and Infrastructure Committee parliamentary inquiry calling for the law to be…
The Swiss government announced it will ban the sale of cosmetics containing ingredients newly tested on animals. The announcement comes in response to a motion introduced by Green Party parliamentarian Maya Graf and if passed would make Switzerland the 35th country to take legal action to stem the trade in animal-tested consumer products…
In our posts of 15 and 26 December 2015 we reported that Rudolph, a sick baby deer nursed back to health by teenager Andrew Foots, had been seized by Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources who then obtained a court order to kill Rudolph on the basis that he was a danger…
Labour moving to ban animal testing for cosmetics in Australia – Image courtesy News.com.au. Labor has announced that it is introducing a private member’s bill into Parliament this week to ban the testing of cosmetics on animals as well as the importation of any cosmetic products tested on animals. There is currently no legislation…
Elephants are among several exotic animals that will be banned for use in circus shows in Melbourne. Picture: Herald Sun / AFP Emmanuel Dunand. Melbourne is set to join 45 other councils around Australia in banning exotic circus animals within its borders. Elephants will be one of many exotic animals banned from being used…
Documents recently obtained by the ABC reveal extensive allegations of animal cruelty at Murrayfield Station on Bruny Island, Tasmania. Despite the conclusion of Tasmania’s Primary Industries that there was adequate evidence to prosecute for animal cruelty, it chose instead to issue an infringement notice for $280.00. In an interview with the ABC’s News Sunday program,…
Brothers James and Robert Calleja, both of Sunbury, were charged with trespass and animal cruelty offences after allegedly shooting a kangaroo named “Spot” in the head with a cross bow on private property in the Macedon Ranges in Victoria in August 2015. The crossbow bolt was lodged in Spot’s head for nine days before he…
A formal investigation into housing conditions and the euthanasia rate at the North Melbourne Lost Dogs’ Home has been launched by the Victorian Government. The move comes after social media campaigns, including a petition started on January 16, which has almost 10,000 signatures, as well as plans for a rally by animal rescue groups. Click…
The Panel is pleased to report that rottweiler ‘Laura‘, a declared dangerous dog in the jurisdiction of Greater Dandenong City Council, has been saved from euthanasia. Laura‘s owner is currently homeless, and therefore unable to comply with the housing requirements for a dangerous dog. Accordingly, the Council formed a preliminary view that Laura must be destroyed. In order…
In a judgement published at 11.30am, VCAT President, Garde J, found that Kerser is not a restricted breed dog. And Panel counsel appeared in all the different proceedings for owner Jade Applebee without any personal cost to her whatsoever. In brief summary, on 4 December 2012 the City of Monash seized and impounded Kerser. On…
In our post of 18 November 2014 we reported that American Staffordshire Terriers, Seth (13 years) and Jaxon (10 months) were both on death row following allegations in August of an attack involving two persons, and a Pomeranian dog and a cat. Both animals were killed and one person received minor injuries. But the owner…
Further to our report of 11 October 2014 that American Staffordshire ‘Sonny’ had been impounded by Wodonga City Council and declared a restricted breed, the Panel then intervened to challenge the declaration in VCAT. It was fixed for hearing this last Thursday, 11 December 2014. At the hearing that day, Wodonga CC capitulated and agreed…
The last video depicts Mylo in the car ready to go home. All media were present. Channels 7, 9 and 10 all captured the moment of reunion, which will be screened in their news bulletins tonight (Ch. 10, 5pm and Chs. 7 and 9, 6pm). Fairfax Media (The Age) and News Limited (Brimbank Leader and Herald…
In a judgement published at 9.30am, VCAT President, Garde J, found that Mylo is not a restricted breed dog. Mylo needs to be desexed before he can be released. It is anticipated this will be done quickly and that hopefully he will go home Friday. Mylo has been incarcerated for some 2 years and 7…
Earlier this week brought good news from the Australian Senate for animals involved in cosmetics testing. On 27 November 2014, the Senate has passed a cross-party motion in support of ending animal testing for cosmetics: http://www.humaneresearch.org.au/interview/australian-senate-motion-against-cosmetics-animal-testing-welcomed-by-becrueltyfree-campaigners Earlier this year, the Panel made verbal and written submissions to the national ALP Cosmetics & Animal Testing Policy Consultation,…
American Staffordshire Terriers, Seth (13 years) and Jaxon (10 months) are both on death row following allegations in August of an attack involving two persons, and a Pomeranian dog and a cat. Both animals were killed and one person received minor injuries. But the owner advised Sunshine City Council that it was her other dog,…
With an election a fortnight away in Victoria, the Labor Opposition has promised if elected it will subject breed specific legislation (‘BSL’) to a parliamentary inquiry. Further, during the inquiry there will be a prohibition on killing any dogs detained under BSL. The announcement comes just over a year after BAWP brought Bill Bruce to…
An autopsy has revealed that Melbourne Cup favourite Admire Rakti died of acute heart failure. Last night, ABC’s Lateline covered the story with an interview of Elio Celotto of Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses. The story includes footage of Admire Rakti immediately after the race, showing the seven-year-old stallion collapsing in his stall. Click…