Dog owners could face $10,000 fines after golden retriever attacked

Dog owners in one Aussie state whose dogs attack another could soon face hefty fines like the rest of the country after a family's beloved golden retriever died following two attacks in one month.

Ruby, the 10-year-old golden retriever, was being taken a walk at the end of March when a dog "jumped out of a bedroom window" and attacked her, forcing her owner to regain control of the situation by holding the German Shepherd "in the air by its collar". The family said they had to nurture Ruby back to health at home for four weeks.

After she made a "full recovery", her owners took Ruby to their local vet in south Adelaide where she was tragically attacked again.

"My husband walked out to the car. I heard the most horrendous scream! I knew it was Ruby," owner June Deane wrote online. "The owners of the Staffy let it jump out of the car without a lead. I ran to Ruby and jumped in to tear them apart."

Both June and Ruby were harmed during the attack. Despite the vet offering immediate medical assistance to the golden retriever, she died two days later.

South Australia chases to catch up with rest of country

The incident coincided with the state's review of the Dog and Cat Management Plan, with owners only currently facing a $315 expiation fee if their dog attacks another. However Deputy Premier Susan Close is pushing for tougher penalties – something which would bring South Australia closer in line with other states.

"At the moment there are higher fees if you go to court, they are around the $2,500 amount, we'd like that to really move up into around the $10,000s," she told 7News. "And then somewhere back from that as an expiation fee."

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Much tougher fines in other states

In Queensland if a dog attack causes the death or grievous bodily harm to another the owner faces a maximum penalty of $15,480, while in NSW dog owners face even higher fees, with the maximum penalty being $22,000 or two years imprisonment.

After the death of Ruby, her owner has started a petition this week to push closer to these penalties in South Australia, with the online petition accruing more than 1,800 signatures since Monday.

"No more small fines and [no more] second chances," she wrote. "Don't let Ruby's death be in vain."

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