An LNP Government will take tough action to crack down on Far North Queenslanders who abuse, neglect or poison dogs and other animals.
Shadow Attorney-General David Janetzki and LNP Candidate for Cairns Sam Marino unveiled the LNP’s list of proposed laws during a meeting with the region’s RSPCA today.
The LNP’s plan to protect animals will include tougher penalties for people who leave animals trapped in hot cars, a range of measures to combat criminal dog-fighting rings and tougher penalties for dog-baiting.
“The LNP will work with the RSPCA in Cairns and across Queensland to introduce new laws that protect dogs and other animals from neglect and downright cruelty,” Mr Jantezki said.
“The Palaszczuk Labor Government has been soft on all crime, including crimes against animals.”
“An LNP Government will be a dog’s best friend,” Mr Marino said.
“Animals can’t defend themselves, so it’s up to the law to protect them.
“Animal cruelty is on in the increase in Queensland and it’s time to get tough on offenders.
“The LNP will give the RSPCA the power it needs to crack down on offenders involved in dog-baiting and dog-fighting. They’re the real animals.”
If elected to government on October 31, the LNP will introduce the following measures:
Animals trapped in hot cars
- Following an 18-month campaign by the LNP, the Palaszczuk Labor Government finally introduced laws to target people who leave animals trapped in hot cars – but the laws don’t go far enough.
- The LNP will increase the maximum penalty to a $267,000 fine or three years’ jail – in line with the maximum penalty for other serious animal cruelty offences.
Dog baiting
- The LNP will introduce tougher laws for dog baiting, with increased penalties that align with animal cruelty offences.
- The LNP will increase the maximum penalty to a $267,000 fine or three years’ jail – in line with the maximum penalty for other serious animal cruelty offences.
- Currently, the maximum penalty for this offence is 300 penalty units ($40,035) or 1 year’s imprisonment.
- Labor has known about the issue but has failed to act.
Dog fighting
- The LNP will work with the RSCPA to strengthen offence provisions to help end the insidious act of organised dog and cock fighting, including:
- Changing the penalties for prohibited events such as dog fighting to bring them in line with current animal cruelty penalties.
- Introducing laws that require people to contribute to the care and veterinary costs of animals from the moment they are seized and for the time that RSPCA have to care for them while waiting for court proceedings to finalise.
- Introducing laws that make it possible for RSPCA to prosecute people who possess dog fighting dogs, equipment and other paraphernalia, even if they are not caught in the act of dog fighting.
- The secretive nature of these prohibited events, means that the RSPCA faces enormous difficulty in obtaining evidence of involvement in dog fighting.
- This directly hinders their ability to prosecute offenders because of the need to catch them in the act.
Expanded inspectorate powers
- The LNP will also expand provisions to allow an inspector to provide shelter or move an animal to a more appropriate place entered into by the inspector – for example, when dogs are tethered without access to shade or water.
The RSPCA received 18,692 animal cruelty and neglect complaints across Queensland last year — about 800 more than in 2018.
