Council calls for witnesses following dog attack in Stawell

Northern Grampians Shire Council is investigating an incident that occurred in Doyle Street, Stawell, at the weekend, involving three dogs allegedly attacking a family cat.  

The distressing incident occurred during the afternoon of Sunday, April 13, while the family was at home. 

The dogs involved are two Rottweilers and one German Shepherd. 

Council leaders are urging anyone who witnessed the incident, or who may have seen the dogs acting aggressively on Sunday afternoon, to make a formal statement. 

People can call (03) 5358 8700 or email ngshire@ngshire.vic.gov.au and a member of council’s Community Safety Team will be in contact to schedule an in-person interview. 

Council chief executive Brent McAlister said the organisation would conduct a formal investigation, which could take several months. 

The dogs have been seized and taken to Stawell pound, where they will be managed in accordance with the Domestic Animals Act 1994. 

“We encourage anyone with information to get in contact with us, regardless of how much information they may have,” Mr McAlister said. 

“It's often the number of reports and not necessarily the amount of information that makes the difference in potentially prosecuting the parties involved.” 

Mr McAlister said the incident was extremely upsetting for the family involved and highlighted the importance of registering your animals with council.  

"Our sympathies go to the family, who were at home at the time of the incident,” he said. 

“This would have been incredibly challenging for them to witness. 

"Registering your domestic animals with council ensures we are aware of the locations of animals within our townships, so our team can appropriately manage incidents if they occur and safeguard the community from potential harm where possible.  

“Only one of these dogs was registered, which makes it more challenging for our team to do its job." 

Mr McAlister said while the incident highlighted the importance of the community coming forward to report any animal disturbances as soon as they occurred, it was worth noting the council did not possess powers to completely stop incidents happening. 

"Please keep in mind that council can only operate under powers that are governed by appropriate legislation. We can't stop incidents occurring, we can only monitor registered animals and work with owners to investigate instances when they do,” he said. 

"We strongly urge the community to call or email council should they experience instances of 'rushing' or aggressive behaviour from any animal in a public place. This could be walking your dog down a street or through a public park – we need to know as soon as it happens to protect the broader community.”