Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce said the dogs must “bugger off” back to the United States, (apparently referring to some new form of transportation from Australia), or be euthanized, within two days. The strong formal language is based on the fact that dogs must be quarantined before entry in to Australia. Depp allegedly smuggled the dogs in on a private jet.
On social media, 1,100 people have mounted a campaign to save the dogs. Australia’s dog owners haven’t been too impressed, either, when asked in interviews about the situation. Deportation is one thing; euthanasia is another, and nobody’s too keen about that.
The dogs can easily simply be put back on the plane and returned to the U.S. The legal position is that the dogs don’t have a paw to stand on; they should have been put in quarantine. The ethical position is that this rather over-hyped problem isn’t doing a lot for the reputation of Australia as a rational nation at the moment.
These dogs are puppies. They’re less threat to the nation than most politicians, who unfortunately don’t have to be quarantined before entering Australia. They were only detected when they went to a dog grooming parlour.
Another issue, how the dogs managed to sneak in to the country so easily, is the other problem. The simple breach of one of Australia’s defences against introduced animals and diseases is a black eye or several for border protection. The idea that introduced animals and diseases may have to drop in for a brush and a shampoo before going on the rampage has a few nerves rattling in Canberra and elsewhere.
The Australian media is currently covering Mr. Joyce’s War on Terrierism with some undisguised glee.
Post script: I have since been advised that Mr. Joyce’s relationship with the English language is purely Platonic.
