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Attack dogs must go (New Zealand)
Media statement
For immediate release
Monday, 6 August 2007
United Future leader Peter Dunne has demanded to know why vicious attack
dogs continue to be allowed to roam the streets.
“I repeat what I said barely two weeks ago: what are we waiting
for?” he asked after yet another child has been put in hospital
seriously injured after an attack by a Staffordshire
bull-terrier cross.
“This morning, a two-year-old girl had to undergo major
facial surgery,” said Mr Dunne.
“It is totally unacceptable that the
Government is just standing by and watching
as another child has her life turned upside
down in such vicious circumstances.
“The community is simply not a place for large,
aggressive, territorial attack dogs.
“This is the third time within a month
that I have been forced to speak out,
but it continues to happen and will keep
on happening until we ban these dogs.
“In the last year there have
been 8 serious dog attacks
reported by the media, all of
them involving pitbull terriers,
bull-mastiffs or Staffordshire
bull terriers.”
The last survey done on
dog control issues, in
2003, showed that
consistently every year
more than 3000 dog
attacks take place in
New Zealand.
“Breeds like
pitbulls and
Staffordshire
bull terriers
have got to go.
At the very
least we need to
ensure that the
most aggressive
breeds of dog
are neutered
immediately, and
place an embargo
on any new breed
coming into the
country.
“No one will
have to give
up their
current pet,
but as the
number of
these dogs
steadily
decreases
over time,
so will the
number of
vicious dog
attacks,”
said Mr
Dunne.
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