Ms Teresa Gavaghan:

I thank the Senator for his questions. As for the onus being on the owner of the dog, and if we compare dog ownership to buying a car, when I buy a car I have to inform myself as to what is required, have my car tax, have a driver licence and so on. Perhaps what is warranted and needed here is information campaigns as to what is required, and it is something the Department is looking at in the context of our outdoor strategy. People may not be aware they need their dogs licensed and microchipped and that there are responsibilities in respect of dog fouling and cleaning up after their dogs and so on. I agree we need to get the message out there, but there is a certain amount of personal responsibility here too. People need to inform themselves as to what they have to do, and the Department needs to ensure they are made aware of that.