Perth family’s distress after beloved pet was ‘strangled’ to death when rangers were called to retrieve an escaped dog

A family dog died after rangers tried restraining the loose pup before their equipment failed and strangled the dog to death. 

City of Perth rangers were called to a Kensington address after locals reported an unregistered and ‘unpredictable' Staffordshire bull terrier cross wandering alone on September 19. 

The staffie, called Snowflake, had escapted its owner's yard and was roaming the street, which was not uncommon according to a neighbour.  

When it was approached by the rangers the dog became aggressive and needed to be retrained, City CEO Mike Bradford said.

Once Snowflake had arrived at a care facility, the catchpole rangers had used to restrain the dog broke and could not be removed from its neck. 

Perth City CEO Mike Bradford said the use of a catchpole was necessary as the dog had reacted aggressively to rangers, but expressed his sympathies for the death (stock image)

Mr Bradford expressed his sympathies for Snowflake's family but denied that there was any wrongdoing in the way rangers handled the situation. 

‘Rangers were required to use a catchpole to restrain the dog,' he said in a statement. 

‘The city has also reviewed its procedures and processes to ensure the integrity of all equipment used by the city's rangers.'

The dog's owners were not home when rangers captured it, so Snowflake was taken to an animal care facility in Como.

Upon getting there they tried to remove the catchpole with bolt cutters without success. 

‘Despite multiple attempts the cord around the animal could not be released,' Mr Bradford said.

Snowflake was rushed to Murdoch vets where the cause of death was ruled to be asphyxiation.

The City of Perth has since paid for the dog's cremation. 

RSPCA WA confirmed that a cruelty complaint had been filed in relation to the incident and that they were investigating.

John Jarvien, a neighbour of Snowflake's family, told Perthnow that the dog had been bought for their seven-year-old daughter but that it had escaped on occasion.

Once Snowflake had been taken to an animal care facility the rangers led it to an animal pen where they tried to remove the catchpole

Rangers had tried using bolt cutters to remove the catchpole after it malfunctioned, but were unsuccessful before rushing it to Murdoch vets (pictured) 

Perth hospitals have been treating more than four dog bites per day in 2023 and according to reports, the resulting injuries have only been getting worse. 

Recent data from WA Health and the infamous case of Nikita Piil, who was mauled by her own Rottweilers, has led some to call for new regulations to be put in place on dangerous breeds. 

The number of dog bite victims checking into emergency departments in the state has risen from 1,243 in 2018 to 1,508 in 2023, an increase of 21 per cent. 

There is no suggestion that Snowflake would have bitten anybody.