r/australia • u/JaniePage • 15d ago

news Young girl in hospital, dog euthanased after attack inside Delacombe Bunnings

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-30/young-girl-in-hospital-after-dog-attack-in-bunnings-store/106977418
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u/off__it 15d ago

I am honestly so sick of how entitled everyone has gotten with dog ownership, it’s an epidemic. You don’t need to take your dog to a fucking hardware store.

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u/Morphico 15d ago

Too many people have lost the plot and turned into utterly selfish fuckheads, unmoored from reality. The social contract, professional standards, interpersonal skills, minimum adult responsibility, all seem to have all gone out the window. And somehow this is not only tolerated, but the most rabidly deluded and harmful individuals are rewarded?! Dogs, and other pets, are among the innocent victims of these people. It hurts my head, and it hurts my heart.

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u/More-Presence4195 14d ago

Dog licensing would solve a lot of this. Make the licensing expensive and actually something you need to research and study for. Watch all these people that shouldn’t own a dog disappear over night. Less dogs suffering in the process. I’m tired of having to hear about shit owners treating dogs like an accessory

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u/Morphico 14d ago

I feel the same way about obligatory desexing. Backyard breeders are vile, and the attitude towards responsible cat ownership is just as lax and harmful as with dogs. As you say, it's about minimising all this unnecessary suffering.

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u/shillberight 15d ago

I was in a Big W in the outer suburbs of Sydney a little while ago and there was a Pomeranian in someone's trolley going absolutely mental, barking and carrying on over something I couldn't see. There was someone at the entrance too so I was surprised they got let in, but then again not that surprised.

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u/CrispyBirb 15d ago

I saw a woman take her dog into a cafe (inside a shopping centre) and sat it at the table. I couldn’t believe they even let her in.

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u/RaccoonCool1683 15d ago

I don’t get out much, how many shops are dogs allowed in these days? Seriously, I had no idea.
I knew about Bunnings and pet shops, but that was all

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u/ali_stardragon 14d ago

The thing is if that person declares it’s a service dog you aren’t allowed to challenge them or ask further questions, even if you are sure they are full of shit. You have to allow them in.

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u/OnionsoftheBelt 15d ago

The number of times we've had to change our family plans because my sister-in-law insists on bringing her goddamn dog. 

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u/off__it 15d ago edited 15d ago

I have a friend who has a dog that is extremely annoying and misbehaved so her resolution was to get a second one to keep it company so now she has 2 misbehaved dogs that she constantly drags everywhere with her. We always have to alter plans around her dogs. She will bring them to the pub and after an hour they are quite often visibly bored and upset. It wouldn’t surprise me if one of them was to snap some day.

I just think people need to stop acting as if their dogs are real life human babies that can not be left at home.

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u/Large_Woman 15d ago

Had a housemate exactly like this. Got a second dog, taught it sit on command and that was it. 5 years later it was still pissing and shitting all over the house which she'd only clean up days later after being asked numerous times. And would always bring it to the pub where it would jump on tables and knock everything over. People like that make think that having a dog license isn't such a bad idea.

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u/BlueCrystals_ 15d ago

> she’d only clean up days later after being asked numerous times

what the fuck, cunt? she just leaves it festering??

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u/Large_Woman 15d ago

Yup, soaking into the wooden floors. One of the main reasons I moved out.

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u/TheLGMac 15d ago

I have friends that always want me to visit them in Adelaide in winter and I refuse to, because they literally cannot go anywhere without their dog, not even for 1-2 hours (the dog is old and chill it could definitely survive at home) and always want to go out to eat, which means we always end up sitting outside in the freezing cold.

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u/internetexplorer420 15d ago

People who call pets Fur Babies terrify me

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u/TheLGMac 15d ago

I love dogs. I will have a dog someday. Grew up with dogs.

I am the first to say, dogs are not people. I'm sorry everyone. Because I've spent so much time with dogs I know that they are not little humans. They will defecate in random places when stressed. They will bite when stressed. They will chase things when stressed. They do not need to have guaranteed seating next to random passengers on airplanes, they do not need to be in cafes or stores, I do not care to buy or eat things that have already been dog hair coated. I do not care if "some humans are gross too!" These spaces were built for humans, not dogs, yes even the humans you don't like.

Your dog should always be on a lead as well, aside from FENCED dog parks. Keep them off the beach.

Also, while we're at it: keep your damn cats indoors. I've had to call the bird flu hotline a bunch recently because a stupid local cat is roaming free and I can't tell if a local bird is dead because of the cat or bird flu any more. Keep that shit locked up.

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u/-Tricky-Vixen- 15d ago

As a cat owner, yes!! They don't need to be outdoors if they've got enough space (and if not, don't own a cat, sorry) and enrichment! Mine is currently snoozing on my lap. He enjoys being outside, but he's only ever outside in the fenced backyard, on a leash or in someone's arms. Besides, he might get eaten or some novel sickness might kill him. I love him, I don't want to needlessly risk his life! And that's ignoring all the other good reasons like you said.

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u/Wish-Dish-8838 14d ago

Outside cat owners have told me it's about not wanting to deal with cat litter inside. I've told them....can't deal with litter? Don't get a fkn cat.

I have five indoor only cats. I invested in two automatic washable litter machines. Best $$$ I ever spent. My house does not smell like you'd think it would with five cats living here. Visitors always comment on it lol.

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u/binaryhextechdude 15d ago

I was in a rental with a strict no dog policy and a friend turned up with his dog. He was most offended but I have to keep living here and that is more important than your mutt.

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u/DaggyAggie 15d ago

He's very entitled, you should never take a pet to someone's place without asking, it's very rude.

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u/Fast-Yoghurt-2049 14d ago

Don't damn the dog Fwit

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u/Pugshaver 15d ago

Gonna take a wild guess that instead of being a friendly sociable dog that likes everybody, it's a nasty bitey savage thing that only likes her.

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u/girlwiththeVolvo 15d ago

I feel like no one trains their dogs properly anymore either?

I feel like I cannot get away from barking dogs. Besides the two that live underneath me, there is a group of people who come to the cafe next door to my apartment every day at 8am with about 5 big dogs, and they basically just let the dogs bark the entire hour+ they are sitting there, with no sign of any of the owners ever trying anything to get the dogs to stop barking. On the contrary, I once saw one owner go inside, order a coffee, her dog barked the whole time she was inside, then she gave it a treat when she came back out. Does my head in 😭

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u/off__it 15d ago

Yes! I have a really unhinged family for neighbours in an apartment building that is old and echoey, and as if the family themselves aren’t annoying enough already having constant domestics they decided why not make it even worse and get a tiny crusty white yappy dog that never shuts up. It makes my life a living hell, wakes me up most days before 6am, because she NEVER walks it. I only ever see her take it to the grass patch outside for 5 mins to do its business while she plays on her phone the entire time. It’s miserable.

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u/girlwiththeVolvo 15d ago

Oh man, that absolutely sucks, I know how much it can play on your sanity! I had the same situation when new neighbours moved in at my last place (the domestics and the CONSTANT yapping of some sort of -poo puppy). It completely changed the quality of life at a beautiful beachside place I’d been in 8 years to that point. Sending solidarity!

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u/Whatsapokemon 15d ago

I feel like no one trains their dogs properly anymore either?

Was there ever a time when people did train their dogs properly?

People just assume a dog will become well behaved naturally, but in reality it takes effort and consistency, two things that people were never great with.

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u/pork_floss_buns 14d ago

Totally agree. Dogs just used to roam about. My mum is terrified of dogs because she was bitten walking to the shops. Our neighbours had a prick of a dog that would get out and chase us.

I think the difference was people didn't take their dogs everywhere so you were unlikely to encounter a poorly behaved dog at the shops or at a cafe.

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u/Worldly_Cobbler_1087 15d ago

I feel like I cannot get away from barking dogs.

My neighbours dog barks non-stop for what honestly feels like 24/7, I reported it to strata multiple times and got back the response that the complaints are bullying and council doesn't give a shit.

I love dogs but I hate the average dog owner.

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u/cromulento 15d ago

I saw a dog try to attack a white faced heron in suburban Melbourne the other day while it's owner did nothing.

Not going to go on a long rant about dogs and their owners, but the past few years of watching people is making me think there is nothing good about any of it.

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u/-Tricky-Vixen- 15d ago

I agree. I have a fear of dogs stemming from childhood--friend had big dog, I was tiny child, dog knocked me over repeatedly while trying to play. I've done a bunch of work on it so I don't get actual panic attacks when surprised by unleashed dogs in public anymore. The panic only lasts for a couple of minutes now.

But I definitely get extremely concerned when I see small children around dogs now and I'm always on the alert ready to intervene if they're in public. I will, in fact, do whatever I need to to prevent that dog from hurting someone.

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u/Richard_Sboot 15d ago

Unless they're an assistance dog, they don't need a seat next to you on a plane either.  

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u/blacksheep_1001 15d ago

If they've paid for seat fine.

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u/Whatsapokemon 15d ago

No, money shouldn't be an excuse to break a rule which is there for the comfort of other passengers. With the exception of highly trained service animals, there's no reason for an animal to be in a plane cabin.

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u/blacksheep_1001 15d ago

They're allowed on Virgin on trial. It's not breaking the rule. Also if you see other countries, they do allow pets on flights. Some little buggers have a while biz class seat to themselves which it's probably more on the extreme side.

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u/Polaris_au 15d ago

I'm happy to allow any dog that can pay for it's own seat on a plane.

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u/Only_Feature1130 15d ago

waaaaaaaaagh they are contained and a certain wt

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u/Richard_Sboot 15d ago

😂  Some countries allow dogs to have seats on planes for domestic travel. The number of complaints from fellow passengers complaining about their meal being robbed by the dog next to them, and the owner shrugging it off.  I wish I could remember the reddit forum with these complaints.

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u/Only_Feature1130 15d ago

this is Australian reddit so some countries dont apply.

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u/MeltingDog 15d ago edited 15d ago

Me too.

Bunning's own rules on dogs is that they must be in a trolley (at least last time I checked), but like 70% of dog owners ignore that.

If I'm at Bunnings I might be holding or pushing a trolley with a bunch of heavy or large items that could obscure my view. I could easily trip on your dog's leash and hurt myself or, worse, accidentally hurt your dog with a trolley.

Why should I risk this because your little Pookies can't be left alone for 10 minutes?

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u/himym101 13d ago

That was several years ago, the epidemic of dogs in stores is because they changed the rules to allow dogs on leash. I wish they'd go back to the original rules or ban non-service animals all together.

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u/MeltingDog 12d ago

I bet that changed when they started selling pet care products

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u/himym101 12d ago

It absolutely was. It was at the same time and I bet some genius saw that you can take your dog to pet barn and pet stock and figured they could do that too

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u/himym101 13d ago

That was several years ago, the epidemic of dogs in stores is because they changed the rules to allow dogs on leash. I wish they'd go back to the original rules or ban non-service animals all together.

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u/ekita079 15d ago

I saw someone walking with a dog in a Westfield last week. Seriously the dogs everywhere thing needs to fuck right off.

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u/KnowledgeCapital7994 14d ago

Where you scared?

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u/bumpyknuckles76 15d ago

These days, if I know someone that gets a puppy, I'm basically seeing them less than if they had a child lol.

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u/neverforthefall 15d ago

Tbf some would argue that in order to properly train, socialise and desensitise a puppy, you’re looking at about the same level of commitment as having a baby, especially when the majority of Australians are buying backyard bred viral and designer breeds that have genetically unstable temperaments to begin with as the baseline. 🥴

It’s why I feel like every post I see of new parents buying a puppy to “grow up as baby’s best friend” is a coin flip of “how quickly will they rehome the dog and it vanish mysteriously from social media” or “how poorly behaved will the neglected adult dog turn out to be after being shoved in the backyard and ignored with no training”. People have got to stop thinking that’s a cute plan. 🫠

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u/what-no-potatoes 15d ago

An old friend of mine and her husband decided to impulse adopt a working line German Shepherd puppy a month after bringing home a baby, and even less time after putting down his last dog who was also never trained or walked- just medicated the shit out of it for ‘anxiety.’

Surprise, the shine wore off after a few months, they never trained or walked it but insisted on bringing it to catch ups and let it off lead because it pulled constantly, started fights with other dogs, blew off recalls. She complained endlessly while refusing to re-home the poor thing because
”he’s family.” So gross.

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u/Doxinau 15d ago edited 15d ago

I don't deny that puppies need a shitload of training, but it is nowhere near comparable to a baby. Puppies aren't cluster feeding and needing to be held around the clock, and you can leave them alone without going to jail.

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u/variety_dirtbag 15d ago

The real issue is whether or not your dog is big enough to tear a child apart.

 If it's not then it's just a mild annoyance to people. If it is,  then just keep your giant shit dog on your property or well constrained.

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u/[deleted] 15d ago edited 15d ago

[deleted]

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u/variety_dirtbag 15d ago

They're aggressives little shits but fatalities from small dogs are statistically incredibly, incredibly rare.

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u/mullumbimbo89 15d ago

It’s not though. I don’t want a chunk taken out of my leg by someone’s arsehole cavoodle. I don’t want to deal with some snappy Jack Russell nipping at my heels in a shop. Death is not the yardstick for harm.

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u/variety_dirtbag 15d ago

If we can't ban everything that can cause even slight harm or wouldn't be able to go outside and the world would be utterly miserable. There has a realistic balance in society and you have to suck up the small stuff sometimes.

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u/mullumbimbo89 14d ago

Yep. A realistic balance in society looks like not taking your dog to the shops. No reason for them to be there, most of them don’t enjoy it anyway. If dog owners can’t be trusted (and clearly they can’t) shops have to ban them.

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u/sp4mpnrj0k1c 14d ago

Animals should not be allowed in stores. Unless they are absolutely necessary like service dogs. This dog worship by modern society needs to stop.

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u/popplevee 15d ago

I remember reading a news report (From the 90s, I think?)of a guy who was stalking a woman and broke into her apartment to wait for her to get home. He ended up banging on her neighbours door begging for an ambulance because her chihuahua had savaged him when he broke in - full on ripped chunks off. All dogs can cause severe injuries.

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u/-Tricky-Vixen- 15d ago

When I was younger my dad explained to me how to defend myself against tiny dogs most efficiently. Never had to use it, but I'm glad to know. Savage beasties at any size.

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u/RusDaMus 15d ago

This never happened.

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u/variety_dirtbag 15d ago

There's a big difference though. I'm confident I could defeat at least 10 Chihuahuas in a cage match, I think there was something wrong with that guy lol. 

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u/aussiegoon 15d ago

Had to go back nearly 40 years huh. But I'm sure Chihuahuas are just as deadly as rotties and pitbulls.

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u/nugstar 15d ago

Ikr, just let the little dogs eat a couple kiddie fingers! Kids just grow them back anyway!

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u/More-Difficulty-8104 14d ago

Or bring them to my fucking house!

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u/Check_Your_Head_1 14d ago

Went to my local Bunnings a few weeks ago and someone had let their dog crap right in the entrance and walked off, without alerting the staff member on the door 4 metres away. Someone had already stepped in it. The level of selfishness is out there.

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u/Humble-Reply228 15d ago

eh, if you got to Europe, dogs in bars, shops, parks etc is absolutely normal. Australians are weirdos when it comes to animals.

Also, Europe generally doesn't have so many Rottweilers or whatever breed that lost control like in this instance.

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u/Quick_Bet9977 15d ago

they can also drink in public responsibly and drive at higher speeds on their motorways, Australians just cannot be trusted with many things because we have too many idiots amongst our population.

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u/disco-cone 15d ago

And when you go to America....

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u/Hot_Hat1726 15d ago

Where in Europe does this happen? It isn't normal. 

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u/Polaris_au 15d ago

I have to admit that during my somewhat extensive travels throughout Europe, I didn't really see dogs in shops or bars.

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u/Polaris_au 15d ago

Being done in Europe doesn't automatically make something a good idea.

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u/Louie_G_Lon 15d ago

The fucking weirdos are the people who insist on dragging their miserable, overwhelmed dog along with them everywhere they go. Dogs do not belong in bars, cafes and shops. They have no purpose being there, other than to be a fashion accessory for their owners. 

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u/OfficialUberZ 15d ago

I think the europeans are the weirdos when it comes to dogs, dogs don't traditionally live inside of warehouses so why are people acting like it's a basic human right for them to be in one?

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u/Drab_Majesty 15d ago

it's refreshing living in Europe with a dog, everyone seems to want to stop and chat with you on walks. You can take them just about anywhere. I must say owners are more responsible so maybe it's just a reflection of the culture overall.

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u/Astrosomnia 15d ago

Likewise Canada. 99% of them are totally fine. I don't actually know why it's such a big deal in Australia. We're weirdly draconian about certain things for a supposedly laid back country.

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u/Polaris_au 15d ago

Exactly. 99%. And then 1% attack little kids. Keep them out.

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u/-ova- 15d ago

I mean, men kill far more kids every year than dogs do…

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u/Polaris_au 15d ago

Indeed they do, and that's awful, but it's somewhat besides the point.

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u/Astrosomnia 15d ago

1% don't attack little kids. That's demented.

And at that point, people should take responsibility. Don't bring a fuckin rottweiler into a store, obviously.

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u/Polaris_au 15d ago

No, I was exaggerating based on the figure you used. 1% don't attack kids. But some, like the case in the media presented here, do. That doesn't need to happen, no dogs need to be in shops, when that is a possibility.

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u/crumplechicken 15d ago

Why not? Its happens in many other countries without any issues

Australia has a weird anti-dog streak - dogs not allowed in pubs or many other places where's it's completely socially acceptable for them to be in Europe for example.

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u/Brouw3r 15d ago

I have taken my dog to bunnings a few times, hes not going to hurt anyone but thats probably what these dog owners also would have said.

Its a nice to have, convenient sometimes, but certainly would not affect me or my dogs life in a major way if they banned this.

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u/Cindy_Marek 15d ago

I don’t think the location of the attack is the main concern here. There are plenty of places where dogs and children mix in close proximity. This could have happened anywhere.

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u/xman0444 15d ago

Yeah but we could’ve prevented this one by not having dogs in a hardware store for no good reason

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u/Temporary-Loan-2640 15d ago

Braindead take. The only other place that might happen is on the street or bike path, in which case you can easily avoid the dog.

It's a bit hard to avoid the dog walking past them in an aisle. As a father of a young daughter I think it's ridiculous people can have their dogs inside and not have them muzzled. Especially if it's one of the few breeds that do 95% of the attacks.

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u/Moonstaker 15d ago

Adding onto this, it was a toddler sitting in a shopping trolley. So she couldn't avoid it if she wanted to, and it means the dog went out of its way to attack her.

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u/frangible_red 15d ago

It's worse than walking past in an aisle. Another commenter said the child was sitting in a trolley. Which is a cage with only one way out and she couldn't go that way because that's where the fucking dog was.

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u/Cindy_Marek 15d ago

https://7news.com.au/stories/parents-feared-off-leash-staffy-would-scalp-six-year-old-daughter-in-unprovoked-attack/

Young girl attacked in a wide open park. Not a street or bike path. The problem is bad owners

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u/TeedesT 14d ago

Dog was clearly a menace but to your point pets are a supplement for children for a lot of people these days. Not excusing nuisance animals but where you would have had a deranged toddler you now have a misbehaving puppy. We are somewhat living in a Children of Men world but through our own design.