Queensland Man Fined $806 for Off-Leash Dog Walk Says Penalty Hike Took Him by Surprise
A Townsville man says he was shocked to receive an $806 fine for walking his partially blind dog off-leash near a designated dog park — a penalty he believed would warrant only a warning.
Bart Cwiklinski, a first-time offender, was stopped by a council officer late last year while walking his dog Luna, who he described as calm and obedient. Despite his cooperation and admission of guilt, Cwiklinski was issued the full penalty on the spot.
“I was calm, compliant, admitted guilt — I was sure I would get a warning,” he said. “When I heard the fine was $806, that blew my mind.”
Believing the punishment was excessive, especially after hearing of others receiving only warnings, Cwiklinski took the matter to the Townsville Magistrates Court. However, the fine was upheld on Wednesday.
Cwiklinski pleaded guilty and expressed remorse, arguing that Luna was well-trained and under control, but the court was told he wasn’t even carrying a lead at the time — a key factor in the decision.
“You might have got a warning, but in your case they considered the fact that you weren’t even carrying a lead,” Acting Magistrate Kerri Fredericks said. She noted that if the dog had been poorly behaved, the case would have fallen into a higher penalty category.
Council solicitor Alana Divett acknowledged the fine was substantial but pointed out the maximum penalty for the offence is $8,065.
Under Queensland’s updated dog ownership laws, introduced in July 2024, owners must keep dogs under “effective control” in public — either by using a leash, being physically able to restrain the dog, or supervising them in designated off-leash areas. On-the-spot fines apply for breaches.
Townsville City Council stated that officers cannot make exceptions where a dog is clearly not under effective control.
Cwiklinski says many dog owners remain unaware of the increased fines.
“They have absolutely no idea,” he said. “It’s not a deterrent if people don’t know about it.”
He’s now taken to warning other dog walkers in the area, asking them to guess the fine. “The guesses are usually $50, $100 or $200,” he said. “But no — it used to be $320, now it’s $806.”
