Dog Destruction Orders

A destruction order is the most extreme outcome of a dangerous dog process — your dog will be put down unless you successfully challenge the order. These are the highest-stakes matters we handle, and expert behavioural evidence is almost always the deciding factor in whether a tribunal substitutes management conditions for destruction.

When Destruction Orders Are Made

Councils and courts can order a dog destroyed in several circumstances:

• Serious attack: The dog caused a serious injury to a person — especially if the attack was unprovoked or involved a child
• Repeat attacks: The dog has a history of attacking people or other animals, suggesting ongoing risk
• Non-compliance: The owner failed to comply with dangerous or menacing dog conditions (muzzling, enclosure, etc.)
• Unmanageable risk: The council determines the dog poses a risk that cannot be adequately managed even with conditions
• Restricted breed: In SA and some circumstances in other states, unregistered restricted breed dogs can face destruction

Your Right to Challenge

In every state, you have the right to challenge a destruction order — but deadlines are tight:

If your dog has been seized and you are in NSW, you may have as few as 7 days. Contact us immediately.

How Expert Evidence Prevents Destruction

Tribunals will consider alternatives to destruction if expert evidence demonstrates the risk can be managed. Our experts provide:

• Comprehensive behavioural assessment: Is the dog genuinely dangerous, or was the incident situational? Fear aggression, provocation, and redirected aggression all have different risk profiles
• Risk assessment: What is the realistic likelihood of a future incident, given the dog's temperament, the owner's management, and the proposed conditions?
• Management plan: A detailed, credible plan that the tribunal can adopt as conditions — enclosure specifications, muzzle requirements, training program, handler restrictions
• Proportionality argument: Expert evidence that destruction is disproportionate to the risk, and that less severe conditions would adequately protect the public

What We Need From You

To prepare an urgent assessment, we need:

• A copy of the council's destruction order or notice
• The incident report or witness statements
• Your dog's veterinary history and any prior complaints
• Access to the dog for assessment (if not seized) or details of where it is being held
• The appeal deadline so we can prioritise appropriately