When Dogs Escape: Responsibility, Safety, and What We Need to Understand

We should return home from our walks

A walk in our community should feel safe.

Recently, a woman was seriously injured while trying to protect her dog during an attack.Her dog did not survive.

This is deeply upsetting, and it should never happen.

This is not about retelling what occurred. It is about understanding how situations like this develop, and how they can be prevented.

Responsibility Under the Law in Western Australia

In Western Australia, the expectations around dog ownership are clear.

Under the Dog Act 1976, guardians are responsible for their dog’s behaviour the moment it leaves their property.

This includes:

• Ensuring fencing and gates are secure and capable of containing the dog

• Preventing access to the street or neighbouring properties

• Maintaining control in public environments

  
  

This responsibility does not change based on a dog’s history or temperament.

Even if a dog has never shown concerning behaviour before, the legal responsibility remains.

When serious incidents occur, the consequences can include:

• Significant financial penalties

• Legal proceedings

• Seizure of the dog

• In some cases, euthanasia

These outcomes affect not only the people involved, but the dogs themselves.

What Changes When Dogs Are Loose

When dogs move beyond containment, something important shifts.

They are no longer operating within a structured, guided environment. They are responding independently to what is around them.

This often coincides with a state of increased anticipatory arousal.

In this state:

• Responsiveness to recall is reduced

• Sensitivity to movement and proximity increases

• Behaviour becomes faster and less regulated

This is why behaviour seen at home does not always reflect behaviour in an uncontrolled environment.

Why Two Dogs Increase Risk

When more than one dog is involved, the situation can escalate more quickly.

This is known as social facilitation.

In simple terms, dogs influence each other’s behaviour.

This can look like:

• One dog’s movement increasing another’s movement

• One dog’s arousal increasing the other’s arousal

• Behaviour escalating more quickly than it would in isolation

In some cases, high arousal interactions can shift very quickly.

As arousal continues to build, behaviour can become more intense, less regulated, and more difficult to interrupt. This is often described as arousal-related escalation, where movement, chase, and heightened emotional state begin to overlap with more serious behaviour.

This does not mean it will occur in every situation. However, it helps explain why escalation can feel sudden and difficult to interrupt once it begins.

Understanding Escalation Without Excusing It

It is important to be clear:

• Killing another dog is not typical behaviour

• More commonly, we might expect overaroused or inappropriate interactions

• When behaviour escalates to this level, it reflects a serious breakdown in safety and control

Understanding how behaviour escalates is not about removing responsibility. It is about recognising where prevention must occur.

How to Stay Safe Around Loose Dogs

While responsibility sits with the other dog’s guardian, being prepared can give you valuable time to respond.

How you respond will depend on whether you are alone or with your dog.

It is also important to acknowledge that these situations can feel overwhelming. You do not need to respond perfectly.

If You Are Alone (Without a Dog)

An approaching dog is often in a high-arousal or roaming state.

Your goal is to reduce attention and avoid triggering further interest.

• Turn your body slightly to the side rather than facing the dog directly

• Avoid direct eye contact

• Keep your hands still and close to your body

• Stay as calm and still as possible

• Avoid sudden movement or running

If you need to move away, do so slowly toward a safe space such as a car, gate, or doorway.

If You Are With Your Dog

This is a higher-pressure situation, as your dog may increase the other dog’s focus and interest.

Your priority is to create space and prevent interaction.

• Keep your dog behind you where possible

• Stay as calm as you can

• Avoid sudden lead tension or quick movements

• Create distance early if possible

  
  

Practical strategies:

Use food if you have it

Scatter a handful toward the approaching dog to interrupt focus and redirect attention

(This is more effective for dogs who are motivated by food)

Create a barrier immediately

Position yourself behind a car, fence, bin, or any object available

(If safe, small dogs can be placed onto higher surfaces or into a contained space)

Use your voice if needed

A firm, low “STOP” or a familiar cue such as “SIT” can sometimes interrupt movement long enough to create space

If an Attack Occurs

If a situation escalates to a physical fight, the focus shifts from prevention to reducing harm and creating separation.

These moments can feel overwhelming. Your safety matters too.

1. Avoid Pulling Dogs Apart

If a dog has a firm grip, pulling them in opposite directions can increase injury.

This can turn a smaller wound into a more severe tear.

Where possible:

• Avoid pulling

• Try to keep movement minimal

Reducing movement can help limit further damage.

2. Intervene Without Using Your Hands

Avoid placing your hands, face, or body near the dogs’ mouths.

If it is safe to do so, use tools or distance instead of direct contact.

Options may include:

• Using a lead or spare lead

  Looping a lead around the dog’s neck can help guide or create distance

• Creating a visual barrier

  Opening an umbrella or placing an object between the dogs can interrupt focus

• Using sensory interruption

  A citronella-based spray or strong scent may help disrupt the interaction

  (I personally carry a small travel hairspray as an emergency option)

• Using water if available

  A hose or large amount of water can sometimes interrupt an ongoing interaction

  
  

These approaches aim to break focus rather than increase intensity.

3. What to Avoid

Some commonly suggested methods can increase risk or lead to injury.

Avoid:

• Hitting or kicking the dog

• Placing hands near the dogs’ mouths

• Actions that increase panic or aggression

These responses can escalate behaviour and increase the risk of injury.

4. Creating Separation

Once the dogs release:

• Move away calmly while still facing the dog

• Do not turn your back

• Create as much distance as possible

• Secure your dog and prevent re-engagement

This stage is critical, as re-engagement can happen quickly.

Lifting Small Dogs

This is a difficult decision in the moment.

• Avoid picking your dog up by the collar where possible, as this can increase attention and place your hands at risk

If you do need to lift your dog:

• Do so behind a barrier

• Or place them into a higher, contained space if available (such as a bin, car, or wall)

  
  

Being Prepared

Preparation is not about expecting something to go wrong. It is about having options if it does.

Some people choose to carry:

• Food for redirection

• A spare lead

• A compact umbrella to create a visual barrier

• A citronella-based deterrent spray

• Visible signals such as “Give Us Space” leads or vests

• Knowledge of local ranger contact details

  
  

These tools can help interrupt or manage an interaction when time is limited.

Preparation and awareness can create small moments of safety when they matter most.

Why Reporting Matters

If a dog is regularly escaping, rushing, or approaching people or dogs:

It is important to report this to your local council ranger.

This is not about causing trouble. It creates a record that allows intervention before a serious incident occurs.

Early reporting can help prevent harm to:

• People

• Other dogs

• The dog itself

  
  

Containment Is a Safety Measure

Secure containment is not a small detail.

It is a fundamental part of responsible dog ownership.

It protects:

• The community

• Other animals

• The dog within that environment

Because when containment fails:

• Risk increases rapidly

• Outcomes can escalate beyond what anyone can control

• The consequences are often irreversible

  
  

It is the moment a dog is able to move through the environment without containment, without supervision, and in an aroused or panicked state.

That is where prevention matters most.

Because once behaviour escalates to this level,there is no opportunity to undo it.

Dedicating this to the woman and her dog.

You are both in my thoughts.