Statement on media reports regarding animal seizures

Hume City Council rejects the sensational and misleading claims made in the Herald Sun and repeated on the Council Watch Facebook page regarding our response to dog attacks and animal management. 

Council has a clear responsibility to protect our community from dog attacks and to respond appropriately when risks are identified. Our focus is always on ensuring public safety, supporting responsible pet ownership, and addressing any gaps in our processes so that incidents are managed properly and fairly. 

One of the gaps identified by our community following the August 2024 dog attacks in Sunbury was Council’s limited ability to act when the community was at risk. At the time, Council officers were constrained by the provisions of the Domestic Animals Act 1994. Our request to strengthen these powers is a direct response to what our community expects of us moving forward. 

The suggestion that Council is seeking to intrude into residents’ private lives or act without cause is simply incorrect and misrepresents the facts. 

We encourage the community and media to read the information we have published in our Council Report, from which we resolved to pursue all recommended actions arising from the review into the handling of dog attacks. 

In summary, these actions include: 

• Strengthening Council officers’ powers to enter residential land where there is a reasonable belief a dog involved in a serious attack is being kept, and to use reasonable force when executing warrants or seizing animals. 

• Advocating for urgent legislative changes to further strengthen these powers and clarify entry provisions in serious dog attack situations. 

• Working in partnership with Agriculture Victoria to better identify high-risk situations and support Councils through shared tools, training, and guidance. 

• Improving internal systems and investing in officer capability through enhanced training, operational oversight, and critical incident debriefing. 

• Expanding community education about responsible pet ownership, early reporting of aggressive behaviour, and how to respond safely to risks. 

Council remains committed to working with pet owners and the broader community to keep people, and animals, safe. 

For more information, please contact Council’s Media team at media@hume.vic.gov.au