Worrying dogs were euthanised quickly.
“I know that horrifies some people,” he said.
Mr Hannan said once dogs started attacking stock, they did not stop.
Euthanising dogs quickly was the best outcome for farmers, the community and dog owners, he said.
Cr Tupara asked if the council had considered kuri (dogs) as taonga.
“Certainly, here in the Tairāwhiti, kuri are extremely valued and treasured cultural items. It’s reflected in our landscape.”
One of several examples he gave was of Te Kuri a Paoa (Young Nicks Head), with the name being a reference to the lost dog of Pāoa, captain of the Horouta canoe.
“We even have a Ngāti Kuri hapū.”
When the council was “dispatching” problem dogs, could they be considered as taonga?
There could be an opportunity — out of cultural respect — to offer the remains to the community, largely Māori, for cultural purposes.
Kuri, rather than just being an “impediment”, could offer “additional value”.
Cr Tupara asked if that possibility had ever been considered.
Mr Hannam said he was happy to have that conversation.
Council compliance monitoring and enforcement manager Gary McKenzie said dogs were not destroyed lightly.
“We are both dog owners (referring to himself and Mr Hannam).
Destroyed dogs were offered back to their owner.
Cr Larry Foster said the figures for worrying stock were erratic and asked if there was any explanation.
The figures for dogs caught worrying sheep, from June 2019 to June 2023, were 31, 16, 12, 36 and 29.
Mr Hannam said the figures came from the council’s Requests for Service facility.
It was important the community used the system, “so we know what is going on”.
There seemed to be some who believed the system did not work.
“The system does not work because they do not use it properly.”
Cr Rob Telfer said many worrying dog incidents were not reported to the council.
He knew of two recent events in Whatututu and hoped council staff were aware of them.
The council needed to be as harsh as possible and worrying dogs should not be returned to their owners.
Cr Rawinia Parata said worrying dogs which were tied to a fence could not legally be destroyed.
Was it possible under law, for the council to keep such dogs and not return them?
The worrying dog figures were under reported because people were so frustrated, they were not calling them in.
Mr Hannam said the ideal would be to not return such dogs to owners.
The council worked hard for that outcome but were not always successful.
Councillors also receive an Annual Report on Dog Control Policy (the latest to June 30, 2023).
It showed the district has 6114 registered owners with 10,994 dogs.
Other figures in the report were:
• 947 dogs impounded during the year with 12 currently in the pound
• 340 dogs claimed
• 63 dogs returned to owners
• 80 dogs were rehomed
• 446 dogs were euthanised
• Six were destroyed in the field
