Dog-related complaints to Kaipara District Council have increased by 13% over the last year, according to the annual Animal Management Report presented to Council last week.
The council report tracks animal management activities over the last year and is a requirement under the Dog Control Act 1996.
The Council Animal Management team manage all animal related services, including emergency after-hours responses across the district.
Newly appointed Animal and Compliance Manager, Shaun Holland says dog owner education and ensuring residents and visitors to Kaipara are safe will continue to be Council’s number one priority.
“Over the coming year, our team will focus on proactive work within the community, education and support around dog ownership and enforcement around negative behaviours, such as wandering and aggressive dogs,” said Mr Holland.
Impounded dogs increased from 34 in the previous year to 95. This is attributed to officers taking a harder line on wandering dogs as well as an increase in surrendered or abandoned dogs, he said.
Reports of wandering dogs have increased significantly in the last two years. Council says wanderings can and have led to increased dog aggression events and will be a focus for the its Animal Management team this year.
“We know that a large percentage of the dogs exhibiting negative behaviour are unknown to us, so continuing to work in the community to register unknown dogs and manage behaviour is a priority.”
“Working with owners on good dog ownership and dog safety education with our local schools is another proactive focus for our team,” Mr Holland said.
Kaipara District Council encourages residents to keep reporting wandering dogs and (if they can safely do so) take a photo to help the team identify the dog.
Council is asking people to remember to close their gates to keep their dog contained. When in public, dogs are required to be under control at all times.
The Kaipara District Council Annual Management Report 2023-2024 is available online.