Marty
05-02-2005, 02:12 PM
Australia -- A FATHER whose five-year-old son was savaged by a pit bull terrier is primed to become a dog law reform campaigner and says the breed should be banned.
Jordan Wisby, 5, of Illawong in southern Sydney, was released from St George hospital yesterday after being mauled walking home from school on Friday.
His father Stephen yesterday said he would meet Sutherland Shire Council officials this week to learn more about companion animal rules.
Mr Wisby said he didn't want other children to suffer the same injuries as his son and believed major changes could be made to state laws.
"What are these dogs doing in society in the first place?," he said.
"Why not ban them, or keep them muzzled and tethered while at home."
Mr Wisby said little Jordan was coping well, considering the major cuts to his head, arm and shoulder after being thrown around "like a rag doll".
Three years ago, the Queensland Government banned pit bull terrier breeding and allowed councils to ban people from keeping them. The premier Peter Beattie described pit bull terriers as "killing machines".
In NSW, pit bull terriers must be muzzled in public and kept behind a child-proof enclosure but there are no specific ownership or breeding bans.
A spokeswoman for Local Government Minister Tony Kelly yesterday said, while the Government expressed its sympathy for Jordan, there were no plans to introduce pit bull bans.
She said research showed the greatest number of attacks were caused by cross-bred dogs which were genetically impossible to identify.
She said Mr Kelly would be seeking an urgent meeting with council representatives and rangers to see whether enforcement powers could be strengthened.
The Daily Telegraph reported in March that a quarter of serious dog attacks in Sydney's largest council, Blacktown, were committed by pit bulls or pit bull crosses.
Sutherland Mayor Kevin Schreiber joined Mr Wisby in calling for pit bull bans to be considered, along with greater education.
"I support any moves to ban these and other dangerous breeds of dogs in NSW," he said.
"Legislation has already been passed to this effect in other states and surely we dont need any more senseless attacks to demonstrate to the State Government why NSW shouldn't follow suit."
Mr Schreiber said the council would move to ban the owner of the pit bull which attacked Jordan from owning a dog for five years. The dog was put down late on Saturday after its owner gave consent.
A Sutherland council spokeswoman said it appeared a yard enclosure had been built but the dog escaped through a house window.
She said the dog had not bitten anyone before but had been reported for lunging at people.
She added the council would have sought a court order to remove the animal from the property but a neighbour who had previously been menaced by the dog had decided not to give a written statement.
Jordan Wisby, 5, of Illawong in southern Sydney, was released from St George hospital yesterday after being mauled walking home from school on Friday.
His father Stephen yesterday said he would meet Sutherland Shire Council officials this week to learn more about companion animal rules.
Mr Wisby said he didn't want other children to suffer the same injuries as his son and believed major changes could be made to state laws.
"What are these dogs doing in society in the first place?," he said.
"Why not ban them, or keep them muzzled and tethered while at home."
Mr Wisby said little Jordan was coping well, considering the major cuts to his head, arm and shoulder after being thrown around "like a rag doll".
Three years ago, the Queensland Government banned pit bull terrier breeding and allowed councils to ban people from keeping them. The premier Peter Beattie described pit bull terriers as "killing machines".
In NSW, pit bull terriers must be muzzled in public and kept behind a child-proof enclosure but there are no specific ownership or breeding bans.
A spokeswoman for Local Government Minister Tony Kelly yesterday said, while the Government expressed its sympathy for Jordan, there were no plans to introduce pit bull bans.
She said research showed the greatest number of attacks were caused by cross-bred dogs which were genetically impossible to identify.
She said Mr Kelly would be seeking an urgent meeting with council representatives and rangers to see whether enforcement powers could be strengthened.
The Daily Telegraph reported in March that a quarter of serious dog attacks in Sydney's largest council, Blacktown, were committed by pit bulls or pit bull crosses.
Sutherland Mayor Kevin Schreiber joined Mr Wisby in calling for pit bull bans to be considered, along with greater education.
"I support any moves to ban these and other dangerous breeds of dogs in NSW," he said.
"Legislation has already been passed to this effect in other states and surely we dont need any more senseless attacks to demonstrate to the State Government why NSW shouldn't follow suit."
Mr Schreiber said the council would move to ban the owner of the pit bull which attacked Jordan from owning a dog for five years. The dog was put down late on Saturday after its owner gave consent.
A Sutherland council spokeswoman said it appeared a yard enclosure had been built but the dog escaped through a house window.
She said the dog had not bitten anyone before but had been reported for lunging at people.
She added the council would have sought a court order to remove the animal from the property but a neighbour who had previously been menaced by the dog had decided not to give a written statement.