Jimboomba, Meadowbrook and Logan Village have each had one dog attack – or close call – recorded in a list by Energex officers of 88 attacks in Queensland.
Of those, 56 were noted as close calls. There was one hospitalisation, eight cases of medical treatment, and 23 first aid treatments.
All in all, it would seem Logan dogs are well behaved.
However executive general manager Michael Dart said a recent attack by a Townville pit bull was a timely reminder for owners to take responsibility for their pets.
“It reinforces our appeals to dog owners to take the community’s safety seriously and ensure their pets cannot jump or dig underneath fences, bust down doors or escape from their enclosures,” he said.
“We need your help to stop meter readers, power workers and other people simply going about their business in the community from being attacked or feeling threatened by dogs.
“We’re seeing too many incidents where after our meter readers have confirmed it is safe to enter properties, the dogs have been able to escape from their enclosures or restraints.
“We’re asking you to take stock of how well your dog is secured when someone is just trying to do their job at your property, whether it’s reading or installing a meter, inspecting your electrical service wire or delivering a parcel.”
Of recorded cases, just 26% were in south-east Queensland.
“If you walked a mile in a meter reader’s shoes, going door-to-door on daily rounds, you would understand how even a close encounter with a dog can leave them feeling vulnerable and unsafe in certain yards, streets and neighbourhoods,” Mr Dart said.
“I have a cocker spaniel called Mae and while we think she is very friendly we know that even the smallest dogs can be dangerous when disturbed by strangers.
“We’ve seen a rise in dog ownership since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and it’s important to not only register your dog with the local Council, but also let service providers like Ergon and Energex know there’s a new dog at your address.
“We have a 24/7 Customer Self Service portal on our website (energex.com.au/selfservice) where you can update your dog details, register for free SMS alerts to let you know when the meter reader is coming or submit an online self-meter read.
“It’s a two-way street – if you take precautions to ensure that your dog is restrained or securely separated from the work area on your property, and we can verify that, our meter readers and customer service crews can safely enter and get the job done.”
