A Queenslander took to social media after he was given a hefty fine by the local council after his dogs were seen ‘looking over the fence’.
A man who lives in the Fraser Coast council area posted on TikTok about a $718 fine he received for failing to follow a council order to prevent his two German Shepherds from escaping his property.
The resident explained that his dogs had previously been able to get through his electric gates, which have a kill switch in case something gets stuck.
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He admitted that he was wrong and that his dogs had escaped, and rectified the situation by turning off the electric gates and adding a hook so that they could only be opened and closed manually.
Last month, the man received a notice of compliance from the council dated Jan. 31, 2023, asking him to make sure his “enclosure is compliant” and “properly fenced” so that dogs do not run away, attack anyone or “Get out of the house.” , under, across, or around the fence.”
He then received a $718 fine for noncompliance, with evidence attached to a photo of his two dogs peering through a gap in his fence.
“Sending me a photo of my dogs looking over the fence while you walk on the grass, what do you think they are going to do, they are German shepherds,” a resident of the Fraser Coast countered on TikTok.
“They tried to bite you, didn’t they?” Have they ever bitten another person, no?
“These are German Shepherds, not vicious dogs, strong gates, no different from any other fences on the street.”
The man also indicated that the photographic evidence was dated 01/17/23, two weeks before he received the inconsistency question.
“Seriously, you [the council] I need to brush up on my paperwork skills,” he said.
“Are you saying that you will fine me 14 days before I get your non-compliance?”
The man has made several TikTok highlights of his ongoing fight with the council, and hundreds of users have commented on their take on the situation.
“This must be the most money-hungry advice ever,” wrote one person.
“This is ridiculous,” said another.
A spokesman for the Fraser Coast Council told 7NEWS.com.au that the dog’s owner was not fined because the animals “could see through the fence.”
“The fine was issued for failure to comply with the containment fencing improvement notice,” they said.
“The dogs jumped over the fence earlier. The owners were ordered to make improvements to prevent their pets from re-escape, but the owners did not comply with this requirement.
The council did not confirm why the resident received a compliance notice 14 days after they allegedly violated the rules.
