Latest news with #offleashdogs
News.com.au
26-05-2025
- News.com.au
Six-year-old girl forced to undergo surgery after being mauled by off-leash dog
Parents feared the worst when an off-leash dog lunged at their six-year-old daughter during a Sunday outing in the Adelaide Hills. Margot McNicol was at Nairne's newly opened off-leash dog park with her family and their puppy when an American Staffy attacked, grabbing her by the head. The little girl was rushed to hospital and has since undergone surgery for her injuries. Margot's mother Christina heard her screaming and ran over. 'I saw the dog had her head in its mouth and was pulling her hair like a tug of war,' she told 7News. She said it took four adults to get the dog off her daughter. Margot was taken to hospital with multiple puncture wounds, scratches and bruises, but her parents are grateful it wasn't worse. Her father Braedan said that if the dog had taken her neck or face instead of the top of her head. 'It would have been a completely different story,' he said. The council is now investigating the incident. The owner will be fined $300 and a decision is expected to be made about whether the dog is euthanised.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Yahoo
Petition calls for stricter enforcement of pet leash laws
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — When the weather is nice outside, Ally Pfeifer loves to take her 11-year-old dog Zoey for a walk around Colorado Springs parks and trails, including Red Rock Canyon Open Space in Old Colorado City. But she says there's a problem. 'It seems like every time I take her out, we encounter an off-leash dog, and she is scared of big dogs running up to her,' Pfeifer said. Pfeifer says she started to notice dogs not on leashes in public parks around a year ago. Now, she says the problem has gotten worse. She tells FOX21 News she even went and reminded people while on the trail to put a leash on their dog, only to get a poor response. 'He said you can call the cops on me if you want, I live right over there,' Pfeifer said. That was the last straw for Pfeifer, who decided to take action and posted a video on Facebook talking with others from Colorado Springs who have been impacted by unleashed dogs in public spaces. John Fisch told Pfeifer in her Facebook video that this issue has been going on for years. 'Between the spring, summer, and fall of 2019, I had three encounters where I was bitten by off-leash dogs on trails in the Colorado Springs area,' Fisch said. Pfeifer talked with six people in total, including Lynn Wood,y who said she is tired of unleashed dogs. 'My husband and I like to do a lot of hiking, but we've been running into loose, aggressive dogs so frequently that we're almost ready to give up,' Woody said. Pfeifer says the problem is not with the current laws in place. In Colorado Springs City Ordinance 6.7.107, it specifically requires pet owners who are at any park or public space to have their dog or hoofed animal on a collar or leash, while adding it is against the law not to do it. Pfeifer says the problem is with enforcing the laws. It's why she started a petition with nearly 700 signatures demanding that the city enforce the laws. 'The thing is, a lot of people don't listen to that because there are really no repercussions right now,' Pfeifer said. FOX21 News has reached out to Colorado Springs City Council members to get their thoughts on this issue. We are still waiting to hear back, but will let you know when we do. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
