'So quick': dog licences recommended after fatal attack
Jyedon Pollard was a happy and carefree toddler, who set out to explore a motel where his family was staying one spring morning.
In a matter of minutes - the time it took for his mother to get a drink for another child - the two-year-old was set upon by two dogs.
"It happened so quick," his mother told NSW Police of the attack in Cowra, central western NSW, on November 8, 2022.
"How did he even get in there? Why wasn't there a latch on the gate?"
Jyedon likely died from injuries inflicted by a rottweiler that lived at the Country Gardens Motor Inn after he opened the dog's enclosure, NSW deputy state coroner Carmel Forbes said on Wednesday.
The sudden and swift force of the animal, which was sharing the fenced-off area with a red heeler-cross, was consistent with evidence from previous inquests into dog attacks, Ms Forbes said.
"Jyedon's death highlights how quickly a fatal attack can unfold, especially when the attack is on a young infant or a young child," Ms Forbes told the coroner's court in Lidcombe.
"Such an attack may be wholly unexpected and, as such, come as a complete shock to the parents of the child and ... also the owner of the dog."
Handing down her findings into Jyedon's death, Ms Forbes made several recommendations to change dog ownership laws and introduce licensing in NSW.
The state government, in consultation with councils, should consider licences for dog owners, which could include safety education requirements, she said.
Licensing could alternatively be introduced for dogs that are disproportionately involved in attacks, such as Staffordshire terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, bull mastiffs and rottweilers.
She also recommended statewide dog safety education campaigns and animal enclosure requirements for hotel and motel owners, similar to pool fencing laws.
Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig encouraged pet owners to contribute to a review of companion animal laws, including enforcements after dog attacks.
"We need strong laws that hold pet owners to account and make sure owners take responsibility for their pets at home and in public spaces," Mr Hoenig said in a statement on Wednesday.
The inquest heard neither the rottweiler Brutus nor the red heeler had a formal history of aggression, though a neighbour told police the larger dog bit her pet on the neck.
A veterinarian gave evidence that once a dog attacked a person or an animal it was more likely to attack again and certain breeds had a propensity for initiating aggression.
Both dogs were euthanised after the attack.
Ms Forbes described the attack on Jyedon, a Wiradjuri boy, as a "terrible death" that continues to affect his family.
"His death has placed a sadness and hurt in their lives and has disturbed them deeply," she said.
"Jyedon's smiling face is the heartaching, missing piece of their family celebrations."
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