Dogs have shared their lives with humans for more than 12,000 years, and that coexistence has contributed substantially to humans' quality of life. (A community approach to dog bite prevention)

In Australia over 39% of households share their lives with dogs, (National People & Pets) Sadly, a minority of these dogs, do not live up to their image as mankind's best friend.

While over 81% of dog attacks occur in private homes, it is clear that dangerous dogs in public places pose an unacceptable risk for the community and are a significant issue for regulatory agencies. (Prevention of dog attacks in public places)

However, knee-jerk legislation responses that follow on from public outcries after dog attacks are neither the most productive nor efficient way to address these situations.

The accrued papers have been collected from internationally renowned experts and suggest cost- effective methods that have been determined through rigorous scientific data collection and analysis that will assist in the protection of both dog owners and the public.

A summary of suggested approaches

• Scientific data collection and interpretation to correctly diagnose the correct course of action.


• A nationally uniform approach to create dangerous dog policy and legislation


• A national database that would store all information on dog attacks.


• Regular analysis of incidence reports


• Fine tuning of current legislation and enforcement strategies to ensure effective, efficient methodology.


• Creation of market tested educational campaigns for identified stakeholders


• Ongoing Animal Management Officer training


• To discredit Breed Specific regulations in legislation. While all dog breeds will host individuals that are aggressive to humans, to date there is no evidence that suggests breed alone is a worthy indicator of an animal's aggression levels.


• Post campaign monitoring must be completed to ascertain a dangerous dog campaign's effectiveness


• Research other council initiatives, strategies and examine the latest international literature reviews


• Involve community consultation, committees and experts

The majority of the papers outline the advantages of analysing the parts of dangerous dog legislation to generate a best practice holistic approach, creating long term community benefits.

Legislation should be created with expertise and a thorough understanding of the complex issues and factors surrounding dangerous dogs.