In a significant reversal, the City of Cockburn has granted permission for three American bulldogs to remain at a local property after their owners successfully appealed an earlier council decision.
Council Vote Overturns Previous Ruling
The Cockburn council voted 7-2 at its November 11 meeting to allow the three dogs - aged two, three, and six years - to stay at the property. All three animals have not been desexed, which became a point of consideration in the decision-making process.
This approval marks a dramatic turnaround from the council's initial position in June, when officials rejected the application and ordered that one of the dogs be re-homed within 60 days. Under local regulations, council approval is required to keep more than two dogs that are older than three months.
Objections Withdrawn Before Tribunal Hearing
The dog owners had taken their case to the State Administrative Tribunal after the initial rejection. However, before proceedings could begin, one of the three objections was withdrawn, while the remaining two objectors declined to participate further in the case.
A city report noted that as a result, there were no "active objections" remaining against the proposal. City officers also assessed that the dogs were being kept in a manner consistent with community expectations and were unlikely to cause problems.
Concerns Over Owner Responsibility
Despite the approval, concerns were raised about the owners' behavior. A report presented to the June meeting revealed that the only reported concern from the property involved the dumping of dog excreta. The owners admitted to throwing poo bags containing dog waste over their fence into a vacant neighboring property.
Councillor Chontelle Stone addressed these concerns by adding a specific condition to the approval. "The owners were not being responsible dog owners: it's all in the report," she stated. "They were throwing poo over the fence and just not being responsible owners at all."
Under the added condition, council officers will be permitted to inspect the property at least once every six months until the number of dogs is reduced to two. Cr Stone described this as the best available option to ensure ongoing compliance.
Precedent Concerns Raised
Not all councillors supported the decision. Cr Tarun Dewan expressed concern that allowing three dogs would set an inconsistent precedent that could be difficult to manage in future cases. "Others will apply expecting the same treatment," he warned. "It becomes impossible to justify refusal later when the next case is less suitable."
Cr Dewan also highlighted practical concerns, noting that "Three dogs, regardless of their size, increase the risk of noise, odour and nuisance complaints, which are already the number one complaints in our city." He emphasized that Cockburn is a growing suburban area where larger animal allowances typically belong to rural and semi-rural zones rather than urban environments.
The specific location of the property involved in the case has been kept confidential throughout the proceedings.
