Lock up pets plea after koala killing

COUNCIL is appealing to dog owners to lock up their pets after a koala was mauled to death in a suspected domestic dog attack at Pomona.
Principal environment officer Peter Milne said although the council couldn’t rule out wild dogs, the location and nature of the attack suggested a domestic dog was to blame.
Dawn Couchman discovered the koala on her property at the weekend.
“We have been observing the healthy koala over the last three weeks, and we found her recently on the ground having sustained terrible injuries,” Ms Couchman said.
Mayor Tony Wellington urged dog owners to restrain their pets when outside, and prevent them from roaming in an effort to avoid further koala fatalities.
“Too many residents on rural land assume they can just let their dogs roam. But the local laws are the same for rural as for urban residents. All dogs must be securely fenced in or restrained. It is particularly important that dogs are kept contained at night. Left unattended and uncontrolled, these domesticated creatures quickly revert to their predator origins,” Cr Wellington said.
Besides prosecution in the event of a dog attack, dog owners, who allow their pets to wander, also face fines in excess of $230 plus impoundment charges.
“Recent Queensland research that used tracking collars on 200 koalas revealed that dogs were the most significant cause of koala mortality. In fact, dogs, both wild and domestic, were responsible for far more koala deaths than either disease or vehicle strikes,” Cr Wellington said.
“Council is about to release its Koala Conservation Plan, which lists a range of actions to better protect Noosa’s koalas. In the meantime, all dog owners can help improve the survival rate of our local koalas by taking greater responsibility for their pets.”