The Queensland government is being urged to consider harsher penalties for people found guilty of killing or injuring a pet after a German Shepherd died in the back of a car in Brisbane last year in a case that caused public outrage.
It comes as a petition launched following the dog, named Arnie’s, death was tabled in parliament after reaching nearly 130,000 signatures.
Nathan McKeown, 43, left his dog Arnie locked in the back of his ute during a drug-fuelled brothel binge in November last year.
McKeown initially reported his car stolen to police, but was later found to have fabricated the story to hide his whereabouts from his wife and family. When the car was located 10 days later in Fortitude Valley, Arnie was found dead inside it.
Despite a court finding McKeown responsible for Arnie’s neglect and death, he was sentenced to 240 hours of community service and had no conviction recorded, prompting further public outrage.
A petition launched by a group of Queensland women after the incident called for the introduction of ‘Arnie’s Law’ to strengthen protections for pets, increase penalties for offenders, and recognise companion animals as sentient beings, not property.
To date, it has attracted nearly 130,000 signatures.
Labor MP Jonty Bush used a speech to parliament on Thursday evening to push the Crisafulli government to consider the group’s proposal, citing strong community support for the laws reflected by the number of signatories to the petition.
“This was an extreme case of animal neglect,” Bush said.
“Despite the egregious nature of the offending, the court sentenced him to 240 hours of community service [and] no conviction was recorded.
“For many Queenslanders, that outcome has felt deeply inadequate.”
Animal Justice Party Queensland convenor Liela D’Rose said other Australian states are moving towards stronger animal welfare laws, and Arnie’s Law would bring Queensland in line with emerging national standards.
Bush said she wrote to the state’s Attorney-General Deb Frecklington in February to request a meeting on behalf of the group behind the petition, but no response had been received.
“I recognise that this is a non-conforming petition, and that the Attorney General isn’t required to provide a formal response,” Bush said.
“But … I think its important that she does.”
Queensland’s animal welfare laws were subject to significant reforms in 2022, with key amendments including a new offence for breaching duty of care, and strengthened powers for inspectors in relation to entry and compliance with animal welfare directions.
On advice from the Queensland Audit Office, the legislation also introduced a requirement for police and the RSPCA to seek permission from the deputy-general of the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) to prosecute animal welfare offences.
An investigation by the ABC found animal welfare prosecutions have fallen dramatically since the amendment, dropping from nearly 240 prosecutions in 2020–21, to just nine in 2024–25.
In February, the Animal Care and Protection Act was amended to reinstate police powers to “correct the unintended consequence” of previous reforms.
A petition before Queensland Parliament is calling for the same amendment to be applied to the RSPCA, and for the introduction of mandatory minimum sentences, including imprisonment, for all animal cruelty.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
