Colin has been nervous around other dogs since the attack at Pets in the City eight weeks ago. Photo / Supplied
The owner of a dog that lost part of his ear in an attack at doggy daycare believes there should be more accountability from centres caring for pets.
Colin the Staffordshire labrador cross lost the tip of his ear in the attack and was then bitten again on the back leg as he tried to escape.
The attack happened eight weeks ago in the “big dog” area at Pets in the City, Mt Wellington, in Auckland where Colin’s owner Simon Green believes there were about 30 or more large breed dogs.
The dog that attacked Colin was removed from the roll at Pets in the City immediately and is not allowed back.
But Green believes more action was needed to ensure the dog didn’t injure another dog - or child - after the centre declined to report the attack.
“Pets in the City were great with Colin and paid the vet bill but I wanted to report the other dog as dangerous,” Green said.
“That dog could do it again to another dog or a small child,” Green believes.
The doggy daycare industry is largely unregulated but Auckland Council recommends all dog attacks, whether on a person or animal, are reported so a history of aggression can be established.
According to Green, Colin was sitting “doing nothing when the other dog just went for him”. Colin was bitten on the face and the tip of his left ear was torn off. When he got free and tried to run away the dog lunged again and bit his hind leg, Green claims.
“Colin has the temperament of a labrador and the loyalty of a Staffy and he’s a goofball, he’s such a softy. We were told it was completely out of the blue and unprovoked.”
Staff at Pets in the City acted immediately after the attack phoning Green and agreeing to meet him with the injured Colin at a nearby vet.
The gash to Colin’s hind leg was stapled and his torn ear was washed and bandaged. He was given painkillers and a course of antibiotics.
Green said Colin had healed well physically from the attack but it had changed his laid-back personality. He needed specialist training to get him back to his old self.
“He was so good with other dogs and could go off lead at the dog park. Now as soon as there is another dog he’s jumpy and we have to get him back and put him on the lead.
“We have him booked in for some training but I think the same thing needs to happen with the other dog which is why I wanted to report it.
“There needs to be more accountability from places caring for pets,” Green claims.
Green claims Colin also has scars on his nose after being snapped at by a puppy at the daycare.
Pets in the City CEO Layamon Bakewell said the centre had a strict policy around dog attacks and always acted with the animals’ best interests at heart.
“Pets in the City policy is that any dog that punctures another dog’s skin, unless there extenuating circumstances, is removed from daycare.
“They are not allowed to come back.”
Bakewell said all incidents were logged and the centre was transparent about the number of attacks if asked.
There was also a detailed assessment and formal process for dogs to go through before they were accepted on the roll at Pets in the City.
“It is not breed, it is behaviour and body language,” Bakewell said. “If they are deemed not suitable they don’t get in.”
Bakewell would not disclose the staff-to-dog ratio at Pets in the City but said it was one of the best in the industry.
He said despite not reporting the dog he believed the Mt Wellington franchise owner would follow up with the other dog’s owner and give them a list of recommended trainers.
“We have a list of trainers who align with our philosophy of force-free,” he said.
“My expectation is that the business owner would follow up with the other dog owner a week later.”
Renowned animal behaviourist Mark Vette said managing behaviours at dog daycares was complex and he believes this requires highly trained experienced staff.
“There is a lot going on with groups of dogs because they are pack animals, you need staff that know what to look out for to avoid situations,” Vette said.
“There is a chance you will get a fight situation with large groups so you need to know how to handle it and stop it quickly. Ideally, you shouldn’t have let it happen.”
Vette said there was posturing and behaviour to look out for in dogs that were good indicators of which ones might attack.
“Early intervention such as suggesting training to the owner or isolating the dog with a different group or with a female can help.”
Vette believed the incident should be reported to establish a history and to ensure the dog got the proper training.
“I think it should be reported because we need to know what is going on,” he said.
“Because a dog bites another dog it doesn’t mean it will bite a child but it [should] be established if the dog is aggressive.”
Vette, who famously taught a dog to drive a car and another to fly a plane, believed there should be proper assessments and training for both dogs.
“But also internally the issue needs to be reviewed at the daycare so they know if there is a problem with the procedure, if the groups are too big, or if inexperience with trainers is a problem,” he suggests.
“Whatever they do both dogs need to be looked after and given the right training to ensure they are socialised and can move on from the bad experience.”
Elly Waitoa, animal management manager, Auckland Council said all reported dog attacks were investigated. Animal management considered the severity of the attack and whether the attacking dog has a history of aggressive behaviour when determining the outcome of a dog-on-dog attack.
“We encourage the public to report dog attacks to Auckland Council,” Waitoa said.
“This will help our Animal Management team to reduce or eliminate the risk that aggressive dogs may pose to the public, and to educate owners of aggressive dogs on their responsibilities when keeping dogs.
“Dog attacks may occur when the owner of a dog or the person in charge of a dog fails to exercise physical or voice control over their dog. Dogs can also attack due to poor socialisation with other dogs,” Waitoa said.
Animal Management investigates all reported dog attacks (whether towards a person or another animal) by investigating the incident and determining whether any person can be held liable under the Dog Control Act 1996.
Possible enforcement actions could vary from infringement notices to prosecutions under the Dog Control Act 1996.
Kirsty Wynn is an Auckland-based journalist with more than 20 years experience in New Zealand newsrooms. She has covered everything from crime and social issues to the property market and has a current focus on consumer affairs.
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