The Government has ordered a comprehensive review of the Dog Control Act to crack down on roaming and uncontrolled dogs, following a number of serious attacks.
The announcement follows a deadly attack on a woman in Northland, who was was fatally mauled by three dogs in February, while a father and son in Christchurch were hospitalised after suffering injuries from a dog attack later the same month.
While the scope of the review is still being considered, it will include looking at clauses which may be imposing barriers or resource pressure on councils, as well as penalties and consequences for non-compliant dog owners, desexing obligations, and stronger powers for council officers.
“New Zealanders are appalled by recent attacks by aggressive and out-of-control dogs. People are reporting that they are avoiding areas in their neighbourhood because they have been attacked or have reason to believe they will be,” Mr Watts says.
“Kiwis should be able to walk, run, or take their kids to the park without worrying about being harmed.
“Dog owners must take responsibility and keep their animals under control to protect their families and visitors, as well as the wider public, wildlife and pets.”
The Minister said the Government had heard clearly from Local Government New Zealand and councils that the Dog Control Act is outdated and preventing them from doing their jobs effectively.
“This is putting unnecessary strain on resources and the wider system,” Mr Watts says.
“That’s why the Government has ordered a comprehensive review of the Dog Control Act to ensure the law empowers councils to keep communities safe.”
He said the Government is also updating enforcement guidelines, to give dog control officers a consistent approach to their work, with clarity on how they should respond and what tools are available to them.
“Alongside the review and updated guidelines, I have sent a letter to every council outlining my expectations around dog control and encouraging them to make full use of their powers.”
“Dog control issues are best managed locally and councils already have enforcement powers under the Dog Control Act.
“As we review the Act, I want councils to be able to confidently say they are using every power available to tackle this issue.
“The letter also reinforces that the Government wants to work alongside them as we review the Act and continue to update the dog control enforcement guidelines.”
Police Minister, Mark Mitchell said police will continue to work with local councils and to provide ongoing support to dog control officers where assistance is required.
“Police have a role to play in dog control when council staff have safety concerns while dealing with dangerous and high-risk dogs. Police will accompany council staff where Police-only powers are required or there are significant safety risks,” he said.
Conservation Minister, Tama Potaka confirmed the Department of Conservation (DOC) will step up monitoring in high-risk areas on public conservation land, and expand its professional hunter response so incidents involving feral or uncontrolled dogs can be dealt with quickly.
“This will focus on places where dogs pose a risk to people or vulnerable native wildlife, with DOC working closely with councils, iwi, landowners and communities to support early detection and coordinated action where problems arise,” Mr Potaka says.
Earlier this week the Government announced a targeted $468,000 grant to the SPCA for dog desexing. The SPCA will contribute a further $700,000 bringing the total investment to almost $1.2 million.
“Dog overpopulation is a significant problem and is often linked to irresponsible breeding. This grant funding supports a practical, preventative measure to help reduce the number of unwanted dogs,” Mr Watts says.
“The Government’s response is about backing councils to keep their communities safe and holding dog owners responsible for their animals.”
Auckland Council has welcomed news of the review, with Director of Community, Rachel Kelleher, calling it a step in the right direction.
“In the last year alone Auckland Council has invested an additional $10 million in region-wide initiatives to tackle our burgeoning dog problem in Tāmaki Makaurau,” said Ms Kelleher.
“Every cent collected from responsible dog owners’ licence fees along with infringement fees and anything else we can appropriately allocate, has gone back into trying to make our streets safe places for children, families, older Aucklanders, visitors, dog owners and their pets. But we need more.
“The current legislation is not enabling us to get on top of the increasing number of dogs roaming our streets or to take action in circumstances where we know a dog poses a risk to public safety.
“Mayor Wayne Brown, Councillor Josephine Bartley the Chair of our Regulatory and Safety Committee – whose own dog was attacked this week by an aggressive roaming dog – and all of our councillors have supported us to do everything we can to bolster council’s Animal Management services, under the powers currently available to us.
“They have added their voices, on behalf of their communities, to our appeals to government to strengthen those powers – I expect that we will continue to make our voices heard to ensure that this commitment doesn’t get forgotten,” she said.
