YOUR SAY: Border Mail letters to the editor

Underpinning the Albury City directive, an Albury ranger told me, is the Animal Companion Act 1998 (NSW). Not complying with the Act can attract significant fines and even jail time.

According to Albury City, contravening the Act can attract Council fines of $330 for not having effective control of your dog, and $1300 if your dog rushes at or attacks another person and or their dog.

Under the Act, a court may impose even more hefty fines than the council.

Ultimately, your dog may even be seized by an authorised officer in these kinds of situations.

For those dog owners whose dog causes an initial incident please note, that under the Act, it is not an offence if the incident occurred as a result of the (other) dog being attacked or otherwise provoked, or as a result of the (other) dog acting in reasonable defence of itself or of a person (i.e. its owner).

Simply put, if your dog started the fight and comes off second best, it is not the other owner's fault. It's yours, so take responsibility.

Surely such laws are only effective if they are either complied with or if they are enforced. Sadly, my experience suggests that, neither of these requirements are consistently achieved.

In the discussion about the name for the $20 million upgrade of the Lavington sports ground at Centaur Road, I would like to throw up a few new suggestions. How about Cohn's Calamity, Cameron's Catastrophe, Docksey's Disaster, Glachan's Graveyard or Thurley's Tragedy.

Given that the NRL and AFL will probably not want to go south of Wagga or north of Wangaratta in the future, what about the "Big White Elephant Arena"?

Maybe the Reverend of St Matthew's can hold Sunday sermons at the ground to cater for the church's overflow. Given that the "Gang of Five" and the good Reverend are so concerned about the community's health, then why are they not testing all those people who come into our town daily on "planes, trains and automobiles".

A few blockades at the airport, railway station and on river crossings will keep us safe.

Lastly, Councillor Cohn is so concerned about her "vulnerable patients" and the transmission and tracing of COVID-19 that she will not help stop its spread by downloading the government app. Hypocrisy thy has a new name and it is Amanda.

It seems the Albury City Council has totally misread the situation and 'fumbled the ball on the try line' this time when it comes to the Melbourne Storm.

It was such a bad look for our region and all for nought. Despite the council's inane vote, the Storm are still here training.

Also, as a GP, Amanda Cohn's argument based on double standards carries no weight if she won't download COVIDSafe herself.