Two Australian Women Fined $1,500 Each for Snapping Selfies With Dingoes

Two Australian women have been hit with a roughly $1,500 fine each for taking selfies and videos with dingoes, officials announced on Friday. The 29 and 25-year-old women were reported to the Queensland Department of Environment and Science after posting photos of them at the island of K’gari posing with the wild dogs—some of which were puppies—on social media. In one image, the 29-year-old is seen “recklessly” lying next to three sleeping pups, according to compliance manager Mike Devery. “She was lucky the mother of the pups wasn’t nearby,” Devery said in a statement. He explained that interacting with dingoes is “extremely dangerous,” “unbelievable,” and “irresponsible.” “Those who blatantly ignore the rules for social media attention can expect a fine or a court appearance,” Devery said. Another official warned that contact with the public can cause the wild dogs to “become quickly habituated,” which causes them to “lose their natural wariness of people.” On Monday, the department reported three dingoes attacked a jogging woman and a man who attempted to help her. The woman suffered serious injuries to her legs and arms.