August 28, 2011 3:30:36 PM EST
Here's what Dogs Victoria had to say:
DOGS Victoria is shocked and saddened to hear about the tragic dog attack that resulted in the death of a child. It is so important to educate dog owners about their responsibility not only to their own family but to their community.
It is the belief of the organisation that the answer to put an end to dog-related incidents is education. Dog owners need to be educated as does every person who comes into contact with a dog.
“Every dog benefits from consistent and positive obedience training. Even small dogs can bite,” says DOGS Victoria President, Peter Frost. “However, the larger and stronger the dog, the more important it is for it to be well socialised.”
“DOGS Victoria does not believe in judging a dog based on its breed alone. However, just as when an individual person commits a crime and goes to jail, when an individual dog displays aggressive behaviour it should be dealt with immediately,” explains Mr Frost.
“Our organisation’s responsible breeders take into account not only a dog’s physical appearance, but genetic health as well as temperament. If a dog is not ideal in all of these categories, it should not be bred with and should be desexed to prevent any accidental breeding.”
Before purchasing or adopting a dog, you should ask yourself if you can meet the dog’s needs. This includes not only food, water, shelter and love, but also appropriate training and fencing. If you can’t commit to the requirements of a particular breed or type of dog, then consider a different one.