A series of dog attacks in Sunbury in 2024 have contributed to a push to change the state’s Domestic Animals Bill in a bid to boost community safety.
The state government has introduced an amendment to the bill to parliament last week.
The amendments strive to give council authorised officers clearer powers to seize dangerous dogs from backyards without a warrant.
Sunbury MP Josh Bull welcomed the introduction of the Domestic Animals Amendment (Rehoming Cats and Dogs and Other Matters) Bill 2025 and said he advocated for these changes after 2024 dog attacks.
As reported by Star Weekly, in August 2024, three dogs escaped from a Sunbury property and attacked multiple people over two consecutive days.
The victims sustained both serious and non-serious injuries.
The attacks prompted Hume council to conduct an internal review into the incidents, which was publicly released at the June 10 council meeting.
Council’s review noted that officers were constrained by the limited powers available under the Domestic Animals Act 1994.
Council officers had no lawful authority to seize or euthanise the dogs involved, and needed police assistance to respond urgently, the review found.
The report recommended urgent changes to the act to authorise the reasonable use of force by authorised officers when entering land, executing search warrants, or seizing animals.
Under the government’s amended bill, authorised officers can enter residential land and backyards – but not the inside of a home – to seize a dog which is suspected to have threatened, chased, or bitten someone in the community, without having to wait for a warrant.
While enforcement powers will remain the same, the bill will give greater certainty to officers so that dangerous dogs can be taken into care in a timely manner. Warrants will still be required to access animals inside a home.
“The bill contains important updates that provide clarity for the local council and their authorised officers who work on the front line to take appropriate action to improve community safety and prevent dog attacks,” Mr Bull said.
The bill is also the first step towards creating a new Pet Rehoming Organisation Authorisation Scheme to be administered by Agriculture Victoria.
The scheme will support the ongoing work of shelters and animal rehoming organisations across the state, giving groups that apply under the scheme special access to benefits such as an exemption from registering animals in their care for short periods of time with council.
