Letter to the Editor, Thursday September 1, 2016

Much-loved family pets

We are the owners of said "dangerous pitbull-type dogs". (They're back, letters August 25).

Firstly I would like to say that our dogs are much-loved family pets who were rescued as pups and have been a part of our family all their lives, as well as being raised alongside our four young children and children of friends since day dot. They have no history with the council, nor do we as dog owners.

These two are stock-trained and have had no history of wandering or causing fear in anyone of any age at any time.

We made the mistake of putting them in a position to escape our property (where, at the time of the attacking of this goat incident, we had only been living for a week and a half).

For this we took full responsibility, and tried to rectify on the day of the attack, as we were told our dogs were seen attacking the goat and we had no reason not to believe these people who came to inform/abuse us.

Despite this, certain individuals went to the council and our dogs were seized. It was through the council investigating that we then found that nobody had seen our dogs actually attack anything.

Based on this, and the fact of no prior history, as stated above, as well as their temperament when picked up, we got them returned to us, at huge financial cost which we accept for not having tied them up.

Apparently they had been problematic in the 10 days we had been there but none of this was brought to our attention by anyone at any time, and given how much we trust our dogs we didn't think we had a problem.

Our dogs are now watched like hawks, and when we aren't with them on our own property they are secured or on leads out walking.

We have always had our dogs locked away at night, due to our road being a kiwi reserve.

In past rentals in the Peria Valley and Coromandel areas we have had incident-free experience.

We are not only saddened by this whole thing, and a poor goat is now no longer living (I understand that this was a much-loved family pet also) but also because of how we are being treated and portrayed in the street as a result.

We were warned before moving on to this rural road that there are militant individuals who are constantly creating this type of unnecessary aggression and drama with various people, which is a shame, as it's a beautiful road with lots to offer, and some really lovely people who also reside there.

We only hope that these people can move past this and that people come to realise that we are neighbours that will always help out in time of need, as well as parents and members of the community, not just stigmatise us as a couple of heavily-tattooed thugs with "dangerous" dogs who should be shunned.

S AND S MCINTOSH/ANSLEY
RD2 Kaitaia