Cassowary Keystone: Roaming Dogs Campaign. The number and size of uncontrolled roaming dogs are increasing. This is a threat to our community safety in their streets, towns, beaches and parklands without fear of being menaced or attacked. Nuisance dogs brake down neighbourly relationships causing division within community with many people the silent victims afraid of reprisals from dog abusive dog owners with stress and mental health issues. This threat extends into the Wet Tropics that our iconic endangered species call home including the Southern Cassowary. We have a Billion $ Tourism Industry which employs thousands showcasing this precious and fragile ecosystem to a domestic and global audience.
Roaming dogs are the cause of our “Wild Dog” problem costing Australian’s $65 Million annually to management the wild dog fence which is the longest fence in the world. This is a major agricultural problem leading to financial and emotion despair for farmers with thousands of life stock mauled to death. 1080 poison is used to control wild dogs killing our native dingo and other non target species. This campaign aims to educate the community about the various dangerous threats that roaming/ menacing dogs create to our lifestyle, economy and our moral and international obligations to protect endangered species living within our World Heritage. WE aim seek changes, to tighten and enforcement of the Animal Management Act on a State and Local Shire levels with a Private Members Bill the “Domestic Predatory Animal Act” “If you own a dog you are 100% responsible”. There are three known threats to the cassowary’s future survival. Cassowary Keystone Conservation works with and supports other local groups to turn the tide by:
• Planting trees to restore habitat connectivity
• Working with Main roads on design to reduce car strike and roads that fragment landscapes
• We have created a system of First Response Cassowary Rescue.
• Written a Private Members Bill the “Domestic Predatory Animals Act” (cats and dogs).
Volunteer now with this successful campaign.