Teenager Attacked by Dog in Scone

Filed in Recent News by August 3, 2018

THE parent of a 13 year old boy who was attacked by a dog on Saturday afternoon in Scone is furious that nothing is being done.

The 13 year old boy who is 160 cm tall and weighs 65 kg was walking with a friend down Stafford Street in Scone when a dog he described as an American staffy type of pig dog ran out of its yard and grabbed the boy on the leg.

The attack knocked the boy to the ground before he was able to free himself and call for help.

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The dog’s bite penetrated the teenagers jeans to cause a wound requiring stitches. See more photos below.

“My son is the size of an adult and it terrifies me what would have happened to a smaller child, as a parent you feel hopeless and just really fearful that it is going to take something horrible like the mauling of a kid before they realise there is a problem,” said Ms Gaffney-Ray.

“We took him to the hospital because the wound was significant and needed attention and when we were done there my husband went down to the police station to contact the police and of course there were no police in town,” she said.

“Then they called us back at 6 o’clock when they came on duty and made a report and went to see if they could find the dog but that was hours later,” she said.

“They looked for the dog, but it was three hours after the attack and it was dark, so it was on a wing and a prayer that they were going to find it.

“I am disappointed they didn’t go to the houses in the area and have a look, because it someone was attacked I’d open my gate and if it was one of my dogs, then as much as it would break my heart, they’d have to take the dog and put it down,” Amanda Gaffney-Ray said.

See how to report an attack at the end of this story.

Ms Gaffney-Ray said police told her they were unable to locate the dog, but would inform the Council ranger.

“When I went to contact Council to see what was happening on Monday morning I called twice and the phone rang out at the front desk, there was no way to leave a message and it took the third time for someone to answer, which is ridiculous for the number of people who work there; I am so cranky with them, what are we paying them for?” she questioned.

There is a 72 hour window where a dog can be seized after an attack.

After this 72 hour period the owner must consent to the dog being taken and euthanised, a time frame Ms Gaffney-Ray was conscious of.

“By the time I could speak with someone at Council it was lunchtime on Monday and they only had that afternoon to seize the dog, only a matter of hours and it was very frustrating nobody seems to communicate and it’s not working; I can get no feedback from the Council on what has been done,” she said.

Ms Gaffney-Ray said one of the reasons they moved out of town was so they could walk their dogs without dealing with menacing dogs which are unrestrained, but was astounded at how bad the situation in Scone has become.

“I can’t tell you the number of people who have private messaged me, stopped me in the street or called me and told me about these problem dogs, it is crazy that nearly everyone has an experience of being bailed up by a dog,” she said.

“On the majority of mornings doing the school run I see at least one dog wandering the streets,” she said.

“I spoke to a friend in Sydney who just can’t believe no one is doing anything, in Sydney they would be looking in backyards and finding the dog, police and rangers would work together and find a dog like that.

“Council need to crack down on this problem and they can start with dogs that are out of their yards and issue fines,” she said.

“I’ve also told people they have to report dogs that can get out of their yards, that do rush at people or bail them up, because reporting it then could prevent it from escalating,” Amanda Gaffney-Ray said.

Amanda’s son has been off school since the attack, is on high strength antibiotics and has had to have the wound restitched after it reopend.

TO REPORT A MENACING OR DANGEROUS DOG:

  • In the case of an emergency phone 000.
  • DANGEROUS: If it is a dangerous dog which has attacked someone or threatens to phone Muswellbrook Local Area Command: 02 6542 6999
  • Ask police for an “event number” and record the number.
  • Phone the Council ranger: 02 6540 1199
  • MENACING: If it is a menacing dog or unrestrained phone the Council ranger: 02 6540 1199

 

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