It comes after a series of dog-related incidents over the weekend, one of which resulted in the death of a resident’s toy poodle while out on a routine morning walk.

Yvette Cameron-Cook handles animals on a daily basis through her role with the Cootamundra Veterinary Clinic and possesses a unique understanding of canine behaviour.

From professional and personal observation, she believes pet-owners are often guilty of handling their animals irresponsibly and not taking proper care of them.

“I think things have changed now and there’s probably a lot more dogs loose on the street due to people not controlling and restraining their animals in a proper manner,” she said.

“I have a young daughter but I wouldn’t let her walk our dog alone.”

Mrs Cameron-Cook insisted pet-owners must be mindful of their duty of to their animals and also the people around them. 

“It's a matter of making people aware of their responsibilities.”

“If your animal can get out of the yard, that’s your responsibility and it’s on your head.

“Likewise, those who have got their dog in their vehicle need to make sure it's secure, not only for the safety of the animal, but also others around it.”

The issues has sparked heated debate on social media with users contesting whether pets are receiving enough attention.