“The NSW Companion Animals Act 1987 is state Government legislation that sets out the responsibilities for owning a dog in NSW,” Liz said.

“The local Council is responsible for enforcing this legislation and this is usually carried out by the Council Ranger. A key responsibility under this legislation relates to ensuring that dogs are under effective control when in a public place to ensure the safety of all concerned.

“When a dog is seen in a public place it is Councils first preference to take the dog home,  engage with the owners about the responsibilities of pet ownership, and discuss strategies to prevent the dog(s) from roaming. Most dog owners will voluntarily comply with the legislation and not usually the subject of any future incidents or complaints.

“Where dogs have been declared a Nuisance Dog under the relevant legislation there is a requirement that they be managed more responsibly by their owners as generally these dogs have been repeatedly observed to be roaming in a public place.

“Unfortunately Council is not in a position to comment on individual circumstances due to the provisions of various legislation including the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 and the Companion Animals Information Act 2008.”