Some of Auckland’s most heavily populated suburbs are recording the highest number of dog attacks, as reported maulings on people and other animals climb.
Nearly 3000 dog attacks were recorded on animals and humans across the city last year - up more than 1000 from 2020, new figures reveal.
Experts put the increase down to a growing dog population since the Covid lockdowns, fewer animals being desexed, more unregistered dogs, and lack of education among some owners.
The Auckland Council’s Animal Management says despite the jump, the actual number of attacks is likely to be under-reported.
And dog control officers on the frontline are not only facing more aggressive animals, but more threats and abuse from their owners when responding to attacks.
Click on your suburb in our interactive map to see how it compares:
Data provided to the Herald under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act shows Fairview Heights, Eden Terrace and Grafton each had 10 or fewer reported dog attacks on people and other animals in the last five years.
Herne Bay, Kingsland and Kumeū each had fewer than 30 reported attacks in the same period.
In contrast, Manurewa recorded more than 200 attacks last year alone, and nearly 700 across the last five years.
Papakura recorded 180 attacks last year and 638 attacks in the last five years.
While some poorer suburbs recorded a higher number of attacks, they were often larger suburbs with bigger populations and may have higher rates of dog ownership.
Data provided to the Herald also included the number of registered dogs in Auckland, broken down by suburb, a total of 116,222 dogs.
The Auckland Council said there were 16,000 known unregistered dogs, but the actual number was believed to be much higher.
Coatesville retiree Denise Heald had to fend off an attacking dog earlier this year after it got on to her property and mauled her Labraspoodle, Rosie.
Heald was walking to her compost bin when she heard rustling in the bushes and a Jack Russell, which she said had previously attacked Rosie, emerged.
“It bowled her off the steps.
“I thought, ‘It’s gonna kill her’, because it was so ferocious.”
Heald said she was “hysterical” but no one was home to help.
“I took the side of my fist, and I was thumping it on its side to distract it.”
While people are discouraged from getting close to an attacking dog, the retiree feared her Rosie would die.
“It’s actually gonna tear it to pieces,” she thought.
When her fists didn’t work, she pulled the dog’s hair and skin, and it released Rosie.
Heald then put the dog in her open greenhouse as she feared releasing it would result in another attack.
“Rosie had disappeared and I was calling her. I was frantic, crying.
“She was at the front door and she was holding her little leg up.”
Heald took Rosie to the emergency vet where the wounded animal was treated for five puncture wounds and swelling.
Heald said Animal Management eventually impounded the dog and its owners later surrendered ownership to the authorities.
Heald was surprised at the growing number of reported dog attacks because she believed more people were aware of the need to keep their dogs contained and controlled.
“I also think there are repeat offenders. The dog that attacked Rosie came back [after an earlier attack], it got a taste for it.”
The Auckland Council’s Animal Management manager, Elly Waitoa, said the number of dog bites reported to ACC was also increasing and only about 20-25% of the incidents were being reported to her agency.
“There are a number of things behind [the increase]. We have certainly seen a huge increase in dog population since Covid, particularly with unknown dogs, so dogs that aren’t on our system.”
The number of dogs that weren’t desexed had also jumped.
“Which of course contributes to territorial aggression, dogs’ propensity to roam and get in fights with other dogs or look for bitches in heat. And they contribute to dog attacks on people walking their dog.”
Waitoa said officers were seeing more aggression from dogs since lockdown.
“I think there was a lack of socialisation going on during that period, and the dogs were breeding at a phenomenal rate, which they’re still doing. So there’s a lot of dogs being just placed into homes or given away to people who don’t understand how to look after a dog properly.”
Field staff were dealing with aggressive dogs and aggressive people.
“They’re seeing a lot of horrific injuries ... We also have challenges when children are attacked. It’s very often by a family or friend’s dog and the family may report it, but when an officer goes to investigate no one will give a statement. And we have our hands tied, we can’t do anything without evidence.”
Waitoa said it took a special kind of person to be an animal management worker, as about half of the nearly 10,000 impounded dogs were euthanised each year.
“That’s incredibly challenging for all of our staff, but particularly the shelters that support the vets during euthanasia. They’re all animal lovers, but the sad reality is there’s nowhere for them to go.
“Particularly because most of [the dogs] are non sociable with others, so that’s a really challenging part of the role.”
This could make it hard to retain staff, she said.
“The aggression from people, the abuse, threats, violence - that obviously is very challenging.”
Waitoa said the varying level of attacks between suburbs was mainly related to each area’s socioeconomic status, with poorer suburbs usually having more attacks.
Poorer suburbs tended to have more unregistered animals, she said.
“People are taking them on board thinking, ‘Cute little puppy’, and it ends up being tied up in the backyard with inadequate fencing.”
People were also getting dogs that showed aggression as guard dogs.
To combat the rise in dog attacks, Waitoa said the council was taking a multi-pronged approach.
This included increasing staffing, a voucher de-sexing system for certain areas which would include a “doggy Uber” to get dogs to the vet, and a proactive 12-officer community engagement team.
A business case for more Animal Management roles was recently approved and the council was in the recruitment process.
Dog Safe Workplace director Jo Clough said dog attacks could be increasing for several reasons, including growing media attention.
She was surprised by the numbers but warned that attacks were dramatically under-reported.
Often Animal Management was unable to find the dogs responsible for attacks, Clough said.
People living in areas with high dog attack rates needed to be aware of their own dog.
“If you know that there’s a street where there’s a dog that can escape the property or jump the fence, don’t go down there. I know it’s awful, we shouldn’t say that you have to avoid the areas, but for your safety and your dog’s safety, I absolutely would.
“And report the thing to Animal Management that you feel is untoward.”
If a dog was rushing at you, stand still or try to get something between yourself and the dog, said Clough.
“Children walking to school, they might have a bag on and they see a dog rushing at them, take the bag off and put it in front of them.”
But don’t let go of the bag.
“As soon as you let go of it, the dog will lose interest [in the bag] and come back at you.”
The time gained through the distraction could help the victim get into a safer position, or enable the owner to recall their dog.
Clough emphasised the importance of understanding dog body language, for example, that a wagging tail did not necessarily mean the dog was happy, and why children should never be left alone with dogs.
“Up until very recently, we were saying when you greet a dog you touch it on the chin or the chest. Now if you’re a child and you’re touching a strange dog on the chin and the chest, if that dog doesn’t like it and he goes to bite you, he is going to get the face of the child. Eighty per cent of dog bites to children are on their head or their face.”
She said people should ask before patting a dog, and if the dog did not approach you, you shouldn’t engage.
If the dog did want to interact, people should pat it on the side or the back.
Katie Harris is an Auckland-based journalist who covers issues such as sexual assault, workplace misconduct, media, crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2020.
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