PINGERS SQUAD WANT “DOGGIES TO JUST BE DOGGIES”
The Victorian Greens, the Animal Justice Party and Legalise Cannabis Victoria have called on the Victorian government to end the use of police sniffer dogs as the summer festival season approaches, raising the issue via procedural questioning during Question Time in the Victorian Upper House.
Greens MP Aiv Puglielli questioned Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell about the issue, through a motion calling on the Victorian Labor Government to end its use of sniffer dogs across Victoria and “let the doggies just be doggies”.
This follows the Police Commissioner confirming last week that sniffer dogs would be expected to operate alongside pill testing at festivals, following a line of questioning from the Greens at the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) hearings.
The progressive cross-bench have made it abundantly clear that sniffer dogs and pill testing don’t mix, and that the Labor Government must ban the use of sniffer dogs to ensure that festival-goers aren’t deterred by police tactics like dog squads from accessing life-saving drug checking services.
Quotes attributable to Victorian Greens Drug Harm Reduction spokesperson, Aiv Puglielli:
“The Summer festival season is just around the corner and we know that we need pill testing up and running in order to save lives.”
“The Premier needs to pick up the phone to the Police Commissioner and make it clear: pill testing and sniffer dog squads don’t mix.”
“We know that people are likely to drop all their drugs at once when they see sniffer dogs. That is not safe.”
“Sniffer dogs do not save lives, pill testing does.”
Quotes attributable to Animal Justice Party MP, Georgie Purcell:
“A health-based response does not mix with a criminal response, and we need to do all we can to ensure that Victorians feel comfortable using drug checking services.”
“Let Victorians check their drugs without fear and let the doggies be doggies.”
Quotes attributable to Legalise Cannabis Victoria MP, Rachel Payne:
“What Victoria Police won’t tell you is that the data shows sniffer dogs usually get it wrong, meaning innocent people are subject to unnecessary and invasive searches.”
“Victoria Police are setting a drug-checking trap so they can criminalise young people who are just trying to take legal steps to party safely. Why are they so intent on treating young people like criminals?”
“The Victorian Government loves to talk about harm reduction, and yet, they continue to put sniffer dogs where they know they will do the most harm.”
