Libbe Paton (North East Wild Dog Action Group), Corryong Courier
The North East Wild Dog Action Group has been petitioning for wild dog control and 3km Livestock Protection Buffer (LPB) to continue as is (see image below).
The opposing argument by pro-dingo activists is debatable, with many believing the dingo is native to Australia and questions are being raised.
What is a dingo? What is a wild dog? What is a hybrid dog? And why is the wild dog control program important or not necessary at all? I write this article to convey our view on these topics of conversation.
Evidence supports the dingo came to Australia around 3,348 and 3,081 years ago, based on direct dating of dingo bones (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-28324-x) landing as a small gene pool. While they integrated quite well into the then ecosystem and aboriginal culture, they are not part of Australia’s mammalian evolution and should not be considered a native species.
The ‘dingo’ value and responsibility of care to present day Traditional Owners is recognised but civilisation has played a major part in the current wild dog situation in Victoria. In comparison to other areas in Australia, this uniqueness and relevant environment should be acknowledged by all.
The term ‘hybrid’ is used to describe the evolution of the dogs. They are now an animal that continually cross breeds with any lost or stray dog that finds its way into the High and Low Country. The input of varied genetics appears to be increasing the overall hunting instinct, pack and lone dog behaviour, colour, size, and breeding cycle – with known whelplings of up to 10 pups at a time.
With Museum Victoria recently updating its classification of the ‘dingo’, from Canis lupus to Canis familiaris, it now sits on par with other national advisory groups which support the claim the dingo is a domestic dog and should not be protected.
The state of Victoria had two wild dog control programs up for renewal on October 1, 2024 – both managed by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA). Recent dog status announcements plus previous long-standing studies, seemingly fell on deaf ears as the program in northwest Victoria was axed last month; a snap decision that has left many varied groups and individuals grappling with the future of wild dog management.
This decision significantly impacts the Victorian livestock industry and service providing agricultural businesses and directly influences the cross-border communities and control programs in New South Wales and South Australia. Is the government ready to wear this? It is not confirmed if the remaining control program in north east Victoria will continue beyond the renewal date, albeit there have been constant requests for answers sent and awaiting ministerial response.
The DEECA wild dog control program goes beyond assisting the responsibility of reducing the impact of a hybrid species; it is currently the only successful option for managing the balance of the dog population on public and private land throughout a highly urbanised and densely populated environment. Across the state of Victoria, there is roughly 4.7 million hectares of public land and the LPB zone operates on 1.6 million hectares, leaving 3.1 million hectares for dogs to freely roam on. Trained DEECA wild dog controllers work on as little as one per cent of the total LPB area and they are the only people allowed to control the number of dogs on public land, not farmers.
The true number of dogs in Victoria is unconfirmed. Simple estimates can be formed using the historic data from the control program and the last 10 years of data report 550-600 dogs are caught annually. One does wonder how many are out there if one per cent is returning caught dog numbers in the hundreds. At first glance the data represents a healthy population and highlights the program is sustainable.
Of all the strategies currently available to minimise conflict and biosecurity risk between dogs, agriculture, and wildlife, the control program is the single most important implement in the toolbox.
As dogs and many other introduced species such as feral cats, deer, and pigs, mostly reside on Public Land, we believe the responsibility of keeping the balance in check falls on the Victorian government. We call on Minister Spence and Minister Dimopoulos to conserve the remaining Wild Dog Management Zone and renew the wild dog control program’s Livestock Protection Buffer for five years. We also emphasise the government’s promises of firstly, consulting the communities that will be directly impacted and also to conduct a count of the wild dog population across Victoria.
The invitation still stands for a ministerial visit to the north east region.
If you are a concerned producer, landholder, business owner or resident and you would like to support this advocacy, please sign our petition and write letters to both ministers. Encourage your networks to do the same. If you need help with your letter, contact us via email and we can assist you. We also have paper petitions for supporting business owners and can email you the details if requested.
Contact the Northeast Wild Dog Action Group via email at northeast.wilddogs@gmail.com.
This article appeared in the Corryong Courier, 9 May 2024.
