The death of a Northland woman mauled by dogs at a remote Kaipara property yesterday has been described by her family as “tragic”.
Mihiata Te Rore, 62, had been visiting someone she knew at a home on State Highway 12 in Kaihu when the three dogs, living at the address, attacked her.
Emergency services were called to the home at 11.25am where upon arrival they found Te Rore dead.
Police say the Kaihu woman had been fatally injured.
A family member, who did not want to be named, said what happened yesterday was “tragic”.
They briefly spoke, saying the family were grieving, and asked the community to keep the whānau in their thoughts and prayers.
They requested space at this time.
Residents of the tight-knit community, which has a population of fewer than 200 people, were today trying to come to terms with the fatal attack.
Wairoa Ward councillor for Kaipara District Council, Snow Tane, said everybody knew Te Rore.
“When something happens we all pull together and support one another.”
Several who spoke to the Northern Advocate under anonymity described how the community was “shattered” by what had happened.
“I think everybody’s gutted,” one local said.
They had hoped the dogs would be put down so they did not pose a risk to others.
Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Pilmer, of Whangārei CIB, confirmed the three dogs were with animal management.
“This was a very upsetting and tragic event in which a woman has suffered unsurvivable injuries,” he said.
“I know the community will have a lot of questions; our investigation is still in the early stages and our focus is on establishing all the facts in this case.”
Pilmer said police wanted to hear from anyone in Kaihu who has had issues with dogs roaming.
The usually sleepy settlement is busy with officers today as police continue their investigation into Te Rore’s death.
Police have cordoned off the SH12 property where the attack took place and officers can be seen speaking to residents whose homes are nearby.
Tane said although roaming dogs has been widely reported in the past, he did not see it as a widespread issue.
“But what I do see is that we need to ensure that locals, if they see these things happening, they’ve got to play their part.”
Te Rore’s death has prompted Northland MP Grant McCallum to call for a meeting with Northland’s district mayors and Minister for Local Government Simon Watts to discuss dog control.
He said the issue was becoming consistent in the region.
“I am concerned Northland is developing a reputation for being unsafe, or for being a region that does not take dog control seriously.”
McCallum acknowledged yesterday’s fatal dog attack was the third in five years in Northland.
In August 2022, Neville Thomson died at his house in the Far North town of Panguru.
The man who owned the dogs, Abel Wira, was later jailed for three and a half years in New Zealand’s first dog-attack manslaughter conviction.
In October 2023, Elizabeth “Effie” Whittaker died after a dog attack in the backyard of her Moerewa home.
“Nobody wants to see attacks like this happen around our home,” McCallum said.
He believed a meeting would be a good starting point for central and local government to collaborate on a safer Northland.
Minister of Local Government Simon Watts acknowledged roaming dogs were a serious issue facing many New Zealand communities.
“I share the frustration of those dealing with them,” he said.
Watts said the Department of Internal Affairs was continuing work on several approaches to support better dog control, including improving the quality and consistency of national dog-related data.
“The department is also working with the local government sector to refresh and improve dog-control enforcement guidelines.
“This work will ensure consistent enforcement across New Zealand, and updated guidelines are expected to be issued by the beginning of quarter 3, 2026.”
The Northern Advocate has approached the Kaipara District Council for further details.
Information about roaming dogs in Kaihu can be passed onto police via 105, using the reference number 260217/8328.