Inner city suburb terrorised by roaming dogs as locals report multiple attacks
Numerous locals in the inner west suburb of Redfern, in Sydney, have expressed concern and shared stories this week as two dogs continue to "intimidate and attack" other dogs in the area, leaving pets in hospital. One parent told Yahoo News they are now reluctant to visit public parks in the area with their young son.
Local Simon Hallgath-Jolly spotted the two dogs on Turner Street on Monday and told Yahoo a "yelp" from another dog notified him of their presence.
"I saw those two dogs standing over a little black and white dog which I know lives behind the block of units... she was lying motionless on the ground," Simon said. "When the dogs saw me and looked up, they just started running towards me."
Simon didn't feel his own safety was at risk but was still compelled to "run around the corner" after hearing reports that these dogs have been responsible for a number of dog attacks in the area over the last few months. It's unclear exactly how many dogs have been attacked but at least five dog owners claimed their pets have been set upon by the dogs since December when Simon shared a photo of the animals online.
It's believed the black and white dog was "playing dead" on Monday and was later taken to a vet where "two big bites" were found on its body. The owner of the black and white dog, Leanne Jamieson, told Yahoo News she "prays they don't hurt anyone else or any other dogs". Her dog Bella will likely make a full recovery, she said.
The dogs now have an infamous reputation in the area and have been dubbed the "killer dogs", however there is no evidence the animals have killed any other pets.
Police and the City of Sydney council are aware of the situation but authorities have fallen short on catching the dogs or identifying the owner.
"About 3pm [on Monday], police were called to Redfern Oval following reports of an animal complaint," a NSW police spokesperson told Yahoo News. "[Officers] were told two dogs had attacked multiple other dogs. Police conducted patrols of the area, however, they were unable to locate any evidence of a dog attack at the time."
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The local council also received a complaint regarding the dogs and are investigating the issue.
"When we receive reports of stray or roaming dogs, rangers will try to locate the animals and identify their owners," a council spokesperson said.
The NSW state government is currently reviewing the Companion Animals Act 1998 – legislation that outlines the rules and requirements of pet ownership in the state – and part of the review is looking at implementing recommendations from the coronial inquest into dog attacks.
Data from the state government agency revealed dog attacks increased from fewer than 900 incidents in 2004 to more than 5,000 in 2024, the ABC reported last month. During that time, the number of pets in the state more than doubled to 4.7 million.
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