Media release: Community support vital in wild dog control

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

The Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Wild Dog Controllers are experiencing increasing problems with wild dog traps being taken or destroyed.

DPI Senior Wild Dog Controller David Klippel said managing wild dog incidents is a difficult and complex task and dealing with the damage or the taking of wild dog traps results in reduced control and serious impacts on the adjacent farmers.

Effective control only occurs when all land managers and members of the community work together and recognise we all play a role in wild dog management," Mr Klippel said.

"Traps are a vital component of a Wild Dog Controllers toolkit and the loss of any trap can have significant impacts on our efforts and on farmers experiencing stock losses.

"Consequently, DPI is seeking to raise awareness about traps and what to do if anyone or their dogs encounter them on public land.

All wild dog leg-hold traps used by DPI meet the Regulations of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

These traps have rubber-padded jaws and are strategically set to minimise the likelihood of off-target captures.

All areas of public land that are subject to DPI wild dog trapping activities are clearly sign-posted to alert forest visitors of trap presence.

"Anyone encountering a wild dog trap is advised to leave it alone as the Wild Dog Controllers make regular inspections of their trap sites and will attend to any trap disturbance within a short time frame, Mr Klippel said.

By raising the awareness of the potential impacts of removing wild dog traps has on local farmers, DPI hopes to persuade people to leave the traps alone."

For more information or to report any incidents please ring DPI Customer Service number on 136 186.

Media contact: Sarah Hetherington DPI Tatura (03) 5831 5361