We need Your Likes to stop Tez getting destroyed by Brisbane City Council. When instigated councils turn to a method of a biased, subjectively performed and non accredited cross breed identification performed by their own staff. They do this to try and remove AmericanPitbull Terriers from the population. The method of breed determination used bears no scientific or genetic endorsements and results in unidentifiable cross breed animals being removed from families and destroyed at their owner expense. There is almost no consideration for advice and results from third party professional services. Tez is a 12 month old Staffy cross breed. He came to us a homeless pup for rehousing. We have raised, socialised and trained him with our other dog Brax. He fast grew on us and has become another well adjusted member of our family. Tezs fate is currently undetermined as he is another victim of the cruel breed specific legislation in Brisbane (and most states in Australia). Brisbane city council will be seeking the destruction of Tez as a prohibitted American Pitbull Terrier with no hard evidence of breed, or any indication of aggression or an actual menacing event. The Brisbane City Council “Dog breed identification expert” has been served the task of identifying Tez officially, He has never met Tez, but has identified Tez to me as APB to me by telephone. This determination was made from photos provided to him by the attending officers. We asked the “dog breed identification expert” what other animal industry professionals opinions, reports or which DNA testing could affect Tezs fate. He claimed all other opinions and methods of dog breed identification to be invalid, and that he “may consider them as evidence” . We were informed 3rd party results were a waste of time. When queried as to how a DNA test could be less accurate he cited the huge cross breeding with staffies and other breeds. I asked him to clarify this, he claimed that the results from a DNA test would probably NOT indicate that Tez is APBT, and that these tests were less accurate then he is at identifying APBT. I find this hard to swallow. (??????) The BCC “Dog breed identification expert” also boasted an OVERCONFIDENT ability to identify APBTs on the news bulletins without even meeting the dogs or at least performing his identification procedure. I am gravely concerned hearing these seemingly biased and OVERCONFIDENT opinions about the alleged genetic make up of dogs he had not physically inspected. This expert answers to our city on the destruction of peoples pets for breed alone. This is a huge responsibility and should be treated with the utmost professionalism and due diligence . BCC processes have expressed a clear disregard for the vast genetic crock-pot of staffy cross breeds, in this country. It is the case that physical non-uniformity has occured over the 100s or 1000s of previous cross breed dog generations in this country. To state a dog cross breed dog can be subjectively identified by an individual is ludacris. BCC officers cite this physical uncertainty it as justification for a dogs destruction at their discretion. We are shocked to learn that this is often the case for families likes ours in this country. His story is below, but first a little about Ourselves, Im Ele, I have actively participated within animal industries since 2008. Im a Vet nurse and also perform pet sitting services most days of the week. In my free time I offer assistance in correcting animal behaviours and help with basic training. My partner Joel is a tradesman, we are home owners, rate payers and very proud pet owners. We have made ourselves available for rehousing dogs just like Tez as their owners circumstances change. We take pride in our approach to dog rearing. socialisation is the key to a well adjusted pet. Tez has been no exception. He has been socialised with babies, children, other dogs, and wildlife just like our other beloved pooch Brax. Through out his time with us we regularly gauged his temperament and courage. Tez has never acted in a manner that would prevent us from leaving him, with other dogs, group pet sitting arrangements, vet surgeries. Nor has his behaviour prevented us walking him in our neighbourhood. He is incredibly obedient, and always acts lovingly toward everyone he has met. On 2nd December 2014 both our dogs regrettably escaped during the early hours of the morning during fence upgrades. They were apprehended by a BBC officer who lives nearby. The officer contacted both our phones from his BCC mobile leaving us voicemails. I attended his address within 5 minutes of the phone call. There was no sign of an attack, neither dog had been injured and their demeanour seemed calm. When thanked the fellow who found them had very little to say. Later that day we received a visit from two BCC officers attempting to extract a recorded statement regarding an alleged attack that morning. We obviously knew nothing about it. Concerned there had being an attack involving our dogs we pursued the claims ourselves with BCC, before they determined it a non event. Discussions with neighbours proved this to be a falsified claim. We served over $500 in infringements for the dogs wandering. The officers then started disputing that Tez was a staffy cross breed. They informed me that dogs similar to American staffys and APBTs required papers, even cross breeds. I was notified that I may need to make some fence modications and that I would hear from the BCC expert in dog breed identification . After 3 days of BBC not returning my calls i insisted that I be connected to this BCC expert. At this stage we still hadnt being made aware of the lethal ramifications of their allegations, and I was awaiting details of what extra modifications would be required to keep our pet, or how I could speed up the process of identification to enable me to rectify our enclosure before returning to work from vacation. Upon making contact, the BCC Dog Breed Identification expert claimed he was to busy to discuss my matter as he was handling other city safety works following storm damage. It was then we learned he wasnt just an expert in dog breed identification. I insisted my need to discuss this matter, seeking advice on how to prove that Tez was staffy cross and does not show signs of anxiety OR aggression. Asking what third party assessment could indicate this. He claimed to have seen the photos and without attending our premisies or meeting the dog already believed him to be APBT. I was then told that failing an expensive, emotional and drawn out interstate rehousing CHANCE, Tez would be destroyed in queensland at my expense as he is a prohibitted breed in QLD. This is essentially a death sentence for Tez, in the weeks leading up to christmas, very hard hitting news for our family and friends who only met him last december. At this stage I felt it even more important to independently identify our dog as this individual was expressing a great deal of bias against Tez, and any dog he suspects is APBT. The BCC “Dog identification expert” resumed refusing the validity of independent veterinary reports and DNA results in lieu of HIS TRAINING AND METHOD of checking for APBT. I queried this methodology and its basis he refused to release practical details, mentioning the subjectively sensitive assessment of eye, ear and shoulder shapes and the colour of a dogs nose later as his justification for declaring dogs he had seen on the news. Despite this information and conditions of the identification method not being made publicly available, he has insisted on it being more conclusive then 3rd party veterinary opinions or surprisingly even DNA results. When prodded about dog breed tempermenant or in our case alleged cross breed temperament he insists is too dangerous to keep uncertain crossbreeds, regardless of training, socialisation and proven temperament. He informed me that fighting dogs are genetically pre-disposed to turn on others. Personally we find it confusing that this fighting dog pre requisite cannot be proved with a DNA test, rather we are relying on the personal judgement of a part time self proclaimed dog breed identity expert, when he gets the time. The BCC officers handling the matter have attempted to falsify claims of menacing behaviour, I pursued this matter with our neighbours, officers in attendance and then BCC representatives by telephone before we were notified it was a “non event”. Through my employment with a large Veterinary group on Brisbanes northside, Tez has accompanied me at work and met over 15 qualified vets in 4 different active surgeries. His breed, temperament or behaviour has never being a cause for concern and he is always the most friendly playful pup in the room. If the matter makes it to the courts Tez could be impounded for up to 2 years. legal and impounding costs potentially into the 10s of thousands, (based on 3 similar recent cases in Brisbane.) Even then his fate is unclear. Because of a biased, subjectively performed, non accredited method of cross breed identification with no scientific backing; animals are being removed from families and destroyed at their own expense. With a bit of public support I may just be able to bring light to this grossly misappropriated law and the bias of its enforcers. Help us emphasise the horrible fates handed to families like ours.
Posted on: Sat, 06 Dec 2014 05:04:21 +0000
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