Queensland is reviewing its dangerous dog laws after three young children and two adults were injured in a spate of attacks across the state.
A boy was transported to hospital with a head injury at 8.40pm on Wednesday, after being attacked by a dog in Shailer Park, a suburb of Logan, south of Brisbane.
Hours earlier, a toddler sustained serious head and neck injuries after she was bitten by a dog in Yatala on the Gold Coast, Queensland ambulance service said.
The chief executive of the city of Gold Coast council, Tim Baker, said animal management officers removed four German shepherd and mastiff dogs from the Yatala property.
Baker did not confirm whether the animals had been euthanised or whether they were registered.
“[Queensland police] and the city [council] are currently investigating the incident,” he said.
A woman in her 30s was also taken to hospital in a stable condition after suffering leg injuries from a dog attack in Townsville on Wednesday night.
The three dog attacks followed another incident in Woodridge on Monday, where emergency services were called to the Logan suburb after a six-year-old girl and a man in his 20s were mauled by bull arab dogs.
The man was taken to hospital in a stable condition, while the girl was hospitalised in a serious condition with significant abdominal, chest and shoulder injuries.
The Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, said she had asked the agriculture minister, Mark Furner, to reconvene a taskforce to review the strengthening of dangerous dog laws. Palaszczuk said she understood “community concern” and wants “action taken” from the end of April.
“At the moment there are fines of $45,000 … but we are now seeing more and more of these dog attacks,” she told reporters on Thursday.
“[We’ve heard] awful stories of dogs off the leash and they’re attacking other dogs. But when it’s happening with people and young children there needs to be stronger measures taken.
“If you are the owner of a dog, you have a duty of care and responsibility to make sure that dog does not cause any injury or detriment to anyone else.”
Palaszczuk said the government would consider stronger penalties and review whether councils should be allowed more enforcement powers.
Logan city council said it would continue to advocate for tougher dangerous dog legislation and share information with stakeholders about “the location of regulated menacing or dangerous dogs.”
The council said it had “swiftly and humanely” euthanised two bull arabs, which were not registered, after the attack on the six-year-old girl.
“Logan city council is committed to public safety through zero tolerance of irresponsible animal ownership and high-risk animal behaviour,” a spokesperson said.
