City of Gosnells approves three-dog application for Thornlie property

THE City of Gosnells has controversially approved a Thornlie resident’s application to keep three dogs, contravening their own two-dog policy.

Council passed a motion allowing the applicant to keep two papillions and one bullmastiff crossbreed at their residence on Camborne Way.

It was one of two three-dog applications council green-lit on the night, with a Langford couple also granted approval.

The City’s Dogs Local Law 2011 limits the number of dogs kept at a property outside a kennel zone to two, but approval for three dogs can be granted in extenuating circumstances.

The Langford application was granted as one of their dogs was not expected to live much longer due to ill health and the residents had just nursed a rescued, three-month old border collie back to health.

The council report had recommended the Thornlie application be refused as there were no extenuating circumstances which supported the request.

However, deputy mayor Terresa Lynes put forward a foreshadowed motion for council to approve the application.

She argued it would be difficult to find a new home for the bull mastiff cross and they had already had the dog for a year.

The applicant had purchased the bull mastiff cross for home security after she had been the victim of a break-in while she and her grandson slept at her previous residence in Bunbury.

However, councillor Olwen Searle vehemently opposed the approval and warned it would open the floodgates for future three-dog applications.

She said she believed for every three dogs council approved, they would receive another two applications.

Her thoughts were echoed by councillor Ron Mitchell, who said the City had a two-dog policy for a reason.

Cr Lynes’ foreshadowed motion eventually passed six votes to four, with councillors Searle, Mitchell, David Goode and Dave Griffiths all voting to reject the application.

The council had previously granted approval for two three-dog applications in May.