Family accept curbs on danger breed

By ELIZABETH BINNING

When you visit Dahna Fleming and Carl Miller in Cambridge, be wary of their "dangerous dog" - he is likely to slobber all over you.

With his tail wagging and pink tongue hanging out, Nelson is full of excitment.

He can't wait to say hello with a great big sloppy kiss.

It is hardly the behaviour of a dangerous animal, but even so his owners are nearby with a leash, keeping a close eye on their dogo argentino.

Nelson's breed is one of four targeted in the Government's proposed dog control law.

Among other measures, it would make it compulsory to muzzle dogo argentinos, which were bred in Argentina for hunting, in public places.

Along with pitbulls, brazilian filas and japanese tosas, they would be classified as dangerous dogs, making it illegal to import them.

Mr Miller and Ms Fleming believe the muzzling requirement is fair enough because dogs such as Nelson, which can reach 70cm tall, can be intimidating. Owners should be in control of them, especially when young children are around.

But they also point out that there are few cases of dogo argentinos actually attacking anyone.

"I think there has only ever been one case of them attacking someone in this country" said Mr Miller. "It was when two dogs were fighting and a guy tried to stop them and got in between them."

The couple bought Nelson as a puppy, intending to train him as a hunter.

He is their third dogo argentino, none of which has attacked or hurt anyone in public

"They are an all-round good family dog as well as great hunters," Mr Miller said.

Nelson frequently travels into town with Mr Miller, but he is always controlled.

Despite Nelson being trained as a hunter, the couple are more than happy to leave him with their 20-month-old son Matthew.

"Matthew pulls his ears and everything but he still wouldn't bite him," Mr Miller said. "He's very tolerant."

Ms Fleming said looking after a dog was the same as raising a child. Owners had to be responsible and take appropriate actions to prevent any trouble.

That is why they tie Nelson up when young children, many of whom do not know how to act around dogs, come to visit.

"It doesn't matter what bred of dog it is, if it is provoked in the wrong way something could happen," Ms Fleming said.

Mr Miller is also happy for a microchip to be implanted in Nelson - another proposed requirement.

He said they were planning to do it anyway, in case Nelson got lost in the bush while hunting.

The new rules

* Four fighting breeds, dogo argentino, american pitbull, brazilian fila and japanese tosa, to be muzzled in public.

* All newly registered dogs to have microchips embedded by July 2006.

* Securely fenced areas for dogs by mid-2006.

* Maximum penalties: three years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

* Cost: $65-$95 for the micro chip plus the cost of fencing.