Rangers from Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) have reported two incidents of domestic dogs being brought illegally onto K’gari (Fraser Island).
Acting Senior Ranger, Linda Behrendorff said the QPWS and the Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation took a zero-tolerance approach to people who choose to break the rules.
“The safety of our staff and visitors to K’gari is our number one priority, and rangers make no apology for holding people to account who bring their dogs onto the island,” Ms Behrendorff said.
“Since 2015, QPWS rangers have issued 20 on-the-spot Penalty Infringement Notices to visitors who have broken the no dog rules.”
She said that in 1991, QPWS banned domestic dogs from the World Heritage area, and the Fraser Coast Regional Council supported the service by banning dogs in residential areas.
“These bans were implemented to protect the wongari (dingo) population from diseases and viruses, and also to protect domestic dogs from being attacked,” Ms Behrendorff said.
She said that in one of the latest incidents the person who received the fine said their animal was a ‘comfort dog’ which was not a category of animal permitted on the island.
“The only dogs that can be brought onto K’gari are certified support dogs or assistance animals, and they must wear an identifying coat or harness and have the approved badge or tag and be kept on a lead at all times,” Ms Behrendorff said.
In the second recent incident, two people took their dog and escaped by boat before they could be apprehended and fined.
