Reported dog attacks drop for 5th year in row

Registering dogs is a very effective tool in reducing dog aggression, says the Auckland City Council. Picture / Alan Gibson

Keeping a close eye on the city's pooches has paid dividends in Auckland, where council policies to reduce dog aggression seem to be having an effect.

Auckland City Council has released dog statistics for the year to June which show reported dog attacks have dropped for the fifth year in a row.

However, despite 553 notifications of dogs attacking or challenging people or other animals, only 12 dog owners were prosecuted.

Amidst a raft of high-profile dog attacks - including a brutal attack on 7-year-old Carolina Anderson in an Auckland park in January 2003 - the council instigated a range of initiatives to try to raise public awareness and heighten owner responsibility.

In the year to June, the council also boosted efforts to increase registration of dogs, as representatives visited 2700 households to check dog registrations.

Figures show notifications of dogs biting or challenging people, or biting other dogs or animals, dropped 15 per cent from the previous year, to 553.

The figure is a 51 per cent reduction in the number of reported incidents in the year to June 2002.

The council's planning and regulatory committee chairwoman, Glenda Fryer, said the statistics showed the council's efforts to rein in aggressive dogs were working.

"The council has been striving to address the problem of aggressive dogs and our approach is clearly having an impact in protecting people and animals from dangerous or menacing dogs."

The year saw 239 dogs classified as menacing because of breed or behaviour, 37 dog owners classified as probationary or disqualified, and 190 infringement notices issued to owners who failed to neuter their dogs or to muzzle them in public.

The council has also prosecuted owners over 12 dog attacks.

Ms Fryer said dog registration was an extremely effective tool in the quest to reduce dog aggression and the council had worked with the police to increase numbers.

"The council is pleased that dog owners have responded well and in the year to 31 June 2006 we had nearly 18,500 registered dogs in the city," she said.

The council's dog control staff also boosted efforts to educate dog owners and the general public by holding sessions in schools, attending dog-related events, and providing training sessions for those who regularly come into contact with dogs, such as New Zealand Post staff.


Dangerous dogs

* 553 attacks/aggressive behaviour
* 239 dogs classified as menacing
* 190 infringement notices issued to owners
* 37 owners probationary or disqualified
* 12 prosecutions

- NZPA