Bay of Islands Watchdogs wants more impounded dogs rehomed, but experts urge caution when rehoming dogs that could be aggressive. Photo / File
Far North District Council’s “terrible” dog pound euthanasia rates have come under fire, but a professional dog trainer has warned of the dangers of rehoming unknown and potentially aggressive animals.
The council says unclaimed dogs undergo behavioural assessments and those that are euthanised will most likely have failed those tests.
The Bay of Islands Watchdogs group is concerned nearly half of the dogs held at the council’s Northern Pound in Kaitāia were euthanised in the last financial year – that’s 193 of the 421 dogs.
Watchdogs’ figures provided by the council show euthanasia rates have gone from 27 per cent in 2020-21, to 37 per cent in 2021-22 and 45 per cent so far this year.
The group has written to the council asking why these rates are “so terrible, and more importantly, how it plans to reduce this as a matter of urgency”.
Watchdogs spokeswoman Leonie Exel said the council “should consider euthanasia rates in their pounds”.
“Euth rates show that something needs to change to ensure fewer dogs get killed and more get rehomed or reunited with their owners.
“We are concerned that the temperament testing may be too stringent when recent research suggests that such testing in pounds can be ineffective because of the stress any dog is under when impounded.
“This would mean more dogs are said to be not suitable for rehoming than would otherwise be the case.”
Council compliance manager Rochelle Deane said all unclaimed dogs went through the same behavioural assessment programme.
“Those designated for euthanasia are likely to have failed this assessment.
“This is regrettable, but the council has an obligation to ensure that no dangerous dogs are put back into the community.”
Those that can be rehomed are temperament-tested, vaccinated, microchipped, registered and desexed before going to their new homes. New owners were also vetted, Deane said.
Professional dog trainer Kimberly Williams, from Kimbi’s K9′s in Haruru, said rehoming “depends on the dog”.
“It’s a huge liability to take a dog you don’t know and put it back into the public.”
In 2021, a rescue group that fosters and rehomes abandoned dogs across Taranaki placed an aggressive dog with a foster family who had a 4-year-old girl. The dog bit the girl in the face, leaving her with multiple cuts.
“It’s stuff like that that has to be taken into consideration,” Williams said.
“How awful would it look for the council if that dog was an aggressive dog and went and damaged, or worse, children or other pets? It would be horrible.”
Williams, who runs Dobermann Rescue and Rehome NZ, said she felt for animal control staff who had to make the difficult decision to euthanise dogs.
“The people who have to make that final call, I really feel for them because it’s a hard decision to make.
“I’m all for rescuing but ... it’s so situational and so depends on the dog and the people.
“At the end of the day, it’s on the owners.
“If it’s registered and microchipped it [the dog] will get home.”
Owners are fined $74 if their dog is impounded, rising to $110 for a second impounding and $152 for a third.
On top of this, it costs $15 for each day the dog is impounded, to cover food and cleaning costs.
Deane said the number of dogs claimed by their owners had reduced, though she was not sure why.
“The reasons for this is for dog owners themselves to explain but it is worth noting that, in this year’s statistics, 73 impounded dogs were surrendered by the owner.
“If dog owners ensure their dogs are registered and under control, then dogs would not need to be impounded.”
The council’s animal management team was “very welfare-orientated”, she said.
The council has run community engagement events at Kaikohe, Kaitāia and Moerewa focused on desexing dogs and educating owners about their responsibilities.
It has offered free microchipping and registration, and officers will transport dogs to vet clinics. The council also has an “Adopt a dog” Facebook page.
“Staff take every opportunity to educate dog owners on the benefits of desexing their pets to reduce the number of unwanted dogs – the primary cause of wandering dogs,” Deane said.
Since the council closed the Horeke pound in 2021, all dog impoundments have been housed in the Northern Pound in Kaitāia.
Deane said the new $2.4 million purpose-built Southern Animal Shelter in Kaikohe would begin receiving dogs next month.