Editorial: Auckland Council dog rules must target delinquent owners, not responsible walkers

In Auckland the number of dog attacks is rising, up 17% (to 2846 incidents) in the year to June last year. Photo / File

Editorial

THREE KEY FACTS

• Dog attacks and roaming incidents in Auckland have risen dramatically in the year to June 30.
• Almost half of the 8306 dogs impounded in Auckland in the last year were euthanised. That’s up 48% on the previous year.
• Most dog owners are responsible but 16% - and rising - of the city’s 135,546 dog population is unregistered.

Auckland Council’s proposed canine crackdown is a sad confirmation that too many dog owners don’t take their responsibilities seriously.

The council is seeking public feedback on a proposal limiting the number of dogs walked at once to six, with only three allowed off-leash. It also recommends some areas in 14 regional parks and 64 local parks become completely dog-free and creating new off-leash areas. In explanation the council says multiple dogs being walked together is an emerging issue for Aucklanders - and has already prompted howls of protest from some dog lovers and professional dog walkers.

The reality is this debate has been brewing for some time in this city. The number of dog attacks and incidents is alarming and the council deserves credit for confronting them.

Nationally there are around 27,000 dog-related injuries reported every year, with just under 3000 of those to babies and children under 14. In Auckland the number of dog attacks is rising, up 17% (to 2846 incidents) in the year to June last year.

In Auckland the number of dog attacks is rising, up 17% (to 2846 incidents) in the year to June last year. Photo / 123rf

But here is the challenge for the council - dog rangers says it is now roaming animals that are the greatest concern. These are the dogs left to run free, whose owners have failed to keep them housed securely and supervised.

Nearly half of the 8306 dogs impounded in Auckland in 2023 were destroyed. That was up 48% on the previous year. That year there were 783 ACC claims made for dog-related injuries in children under 14 and requiring hospital treatment in the city alone.

Their owners cared so little for their animals that they couldn’t be bothered collecting them from the pound’s death row. The council estimates that about 16% of the city’s 135,546 dog population is unregistered.

These dog owners are the real problem. They flout the rules and shirk the responsibilities that come with owning a pet. They don’t register their dogs – the fees that contribute to ensuring public safety – and the council’s proposed crackdown is unlikely to reach this elusive demographic.

This explains why responsible dog owners feel unfairly targeted. They raise their pet in a loving environment, exercise them regularly and respect access and on-leash rules. Professional dog walker Andy Evans says that pack-walking dogs is the only affordable and convenient option for many Aucklanders who don’t have the time or capacity to walk their pet.

“The biggest issue is around the 16% of unregistered dogs in Auckland, roaming aggressive dogs and irresponsible owners who do not desex, socialise, train and exercise their dogs,” Evans told the Herald this week. He is right.

If Auckland Council’s proposal proceeds officials could consider a rule exemption for professional walking services, subject to an inspection by an animal control officer.

The council deserves praise for focusing on this issue, including launching last year’s “Any dog can bite” campaign. The challenge now is to develop policies with teeth that better target the delinquent dog owners.