Unleashed dog attack in Bronte Park

A recent dog attack in Bronte Park has left a young child with 26 stitches in his face and a father questioning what can be done to prevent further incidents.

The boy was walking along the promenade near Bronte Beach when he approached the unleashed dog which bit his face, puncturing the skin just below the eye socket. The boy was hospitalised for three days after the attack.

Hank Dadswell, father of the injured child, has questioned whether Waverley Council has been negligent when enforcing dog restrictions in parks.

“Council knows there’s a problem, and they are not enforcing the regulations,” Mr Dadswell said.

He said a solution should be reached as a community without an “us and them” attitude and that the worst thing would be for nothing to be done to prevent further attacks.

“We don’t want this to happen to another child,” Mr Dadswell said.

Waverley Greens councillor Mora Main suggested that better signage and good dog management would help prevent future attacks.

Waverley Council currently lists several dog-friendly parks on their website including Waverley Park and Dover Heights. Bronte Park is currently not listed as one of the council’s “Dog Walking Parks”; they are allowed on the promenade on leashes as part of the coastal walk.

Mayor Sally Betts said since the incident two extra rangers had been appointed to inform people that their dogs needed to be on a leash and warning them of the fines for not obeying the rules.

Councillor Betts said the council would look at setting up an off leash area somewhere in Bronte.

– By Liam Kinkead