Two border collies have been terrorising other household pets in Onerahi, with animal control officers saying the dogs have killed at least five cats and a rabbit.
Keith Thompson, of Whangarei animal control firm Environmental Northland, said one of the dogs was caught this week after the pair was found in
a rabbit hutch.
Mr Thompson said the householder managed to catch one of the dogs while the other ran off.
Environmental Northland had received several complaints about the dogs.
Onerahi residents who have had cats or other small domestic animals killed or gone missing recently should contact Environmental Northland.
Mr Thompson said most of the incidents had happened in a 4km circle around Cartwright Rd and he believes he knows who the second dog belongs to.
Animal control officers were expected to launch hunts for the remaining dog in an effort to stop its attacks.
"It's the old situation. People not disciplining their dogs and allowing them to roam at night thinking that their pet wouldn't do any damage," he said.
"The trouble is we have got two intelligent dogs that are full of energy.
"They think that what they are doing is a lot of fun, killing cats and rabbits. I think once they find out how much fun it is they did it again and again."
If the owner of the dogs is found they could face a number of $300 infringement notices, as well as the costs of housing the dogs at the city pound, or be prosecuted, where the maximum penalty is $20,000.
The dogs are also likely to be destroyed.
The owner of one of the cats killed by the dogs said it was distressing to find her mauled pet after the dogs had left it on a neighbour's lawn.
The woman, who did not want to be named, said it was upsetting having to explain what had happened to her young daughter.
She urged dog owners to keep their animals under control so that other pet owners would not have to go through the same trauma of seeing their beloved cat or other pet torn apart.
