An unregistered pet dog at the centre of an attack that left a man dead and a woman seriously injured has been described as “similar to a Rottweiler” by the local council.
The dog attacked its owners on Sunday night at their home in Allens Rivulet, leaving the 66-year-old man with fatal injuries to his lower legs and the 64-year-old woman in the hospital with similarly serious injuries.
The dog responsible was one of three on the property and was euthanised by animal control officers shortly after the incident at the request of Police.
While the breed of the dog was not officially disclosed by authorities after the incident, a Kingborough Council spokesperson has since said that it appeared to be of the Rottweiler breed.
“As the dog was not registered with Kingborough Council, staff are unable to confirm the breed of dog involved in the incident,” a spokesperson told the ABC.
“[However] the dog appeared to be [a] type of, or similar to, a rottweiler breed.”
RSPCA Tasmania CEO Jan Davis said the latest fatality was a devastating incident and stressed the importance of focusing on individual dog behaviour.
“There are dogs who bite and do serious damage to humans and to other animals in just about any breed,” Davis said.
“It’s not the dog breed that’s the issue; it’s the circumstances in which a dog finds itself. They have their own tipping points and sometimes the slightest thing can set the nicest dog off.”
Davis encouraged dog owners to be alert to their pet’s body language to understand how they might react in certain circumstances.
The RSPCA does not support breed-specific bans or legislation and is instead advocating for responsible ownership and reducing the risk of aggressive behaviour in all dogs.
Police continue to investigate the Allens Rivulet incident and will prepare a report for the coroner.
