RSPCA launches dingo kill inquiry

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RSPCA launches dingo kill inquiry

Australia

From AAP

06may01

 

18:25 (AEST) THE RSPCA has launched a preliminary inquiry into reports a

dingo took two days to die after it was shot in the Fraser Island culling

program.

 

Rangers at the World Heritage listed island have killed 28 dingoes since

nine-year-old Clinton Gage was fatally mauled last Monday while camping with

his parents on the World Heritage listed island north of Brisbane.

 

RSPCA spokeswoman Claire Munro said the animal rights organisation was

" launching a preliminary inquiry " .

 

" Should there be a reliable witness that comes forward with information then

there will be a full investigation, " Ms Munro said.

 

Reports said the dingo was shot by rangers on Thursday and it was assumed

they missed.

 

But local residents claim it later showed up laying under its favourite tree

with a large hole in its head. The dog was successfully put down on

Saturday.

 

Ms Munro said many people had contacted the RSPCA with concerns over the

cull.

 

" We reluctantly supported a limited but humane cull and we stress the word

humane, " she said.

 

" The rangers over there, we believe, are very professional and are doing a

very difficult job.

 

" We don't believe any ranger over there would have shot a dingo and just

left it to die ... every effort would have been made to find it. "

 

A spokeswoman for Environment Minister Dean Wells said the Queensland

government supported the RSPCA's investigation, saying the incident was

" regrettable " .

 

She said the government believed the cull was necessary because of Clinton's

death.

 

But federal Environment Minister Robert Hill said the Queensland Labor

government remained at fault.

 

He said the government had failed to seriously address difficult dingo

management issues on Fraser Island, although it had a draft plan

recommending a cull two years ago.

 

Senator Hill said public safety was the most important consideration in park

management and it was regrettable the issue had not been addressed earlier.

 

" It's Queensland's job to manage its parks and it should manage them so that

they are safe, but also in a way that conserves the natural values, and the

dingoes are an important part of the natural values of that park, " he told

the Ten Network.

 

" They called for a draft management plan - it was first called back in 1997.

They had a draft plan in 1999.

 

" It seems that the difficult issues were put to one side.

 

" It's another demonstration that governments do have a responsibility to

meet their charter in relation to (the) environment and in relation to

people's safety. "