The owner of two dogs who were attacked by bigger dogs in Rotorua’s Redwoods yesterday says people are running out of safe walking options.
Wayne Woolford, who lives on Edmund Rd, Western Heights, said he and his wife had already stopped walking their dogs locally because they no longer felt safe.
Instead, they had begun walking them in the Redwoods at Whakarewarewa Forest.
That decision nearly ended in tragedy.
“My wife was walking our two little Maltese dogs when they were attacked by a pair of much larger dogs,” Woolford said. “They just about killed them.”
He said the incident started about 11.30am as his wife, who did not want to be named in this story, walked their dogs on leashes on the Blue track, Waitawa Walk.
Another woman was walking two big dogs, which looked similar to bullmastiffs, on leashes.
“The dogs were walking towards our dogs, and one of our little dogs started to bark. My wife picked up both small dogs to try to avoid anything, and then [the other] dogs lost it.”
Woolford said his wife told him the bigger dogs ran at her and knocked her down a steep bank as they tried to attack the little dogs in her arms.
“Everything happened so fast.”
He said the other walker could not control the bigger dogs and also tumbled down the bank.
Woolford said his wife tried to shield their pets against the “vicious” dogs.
The group managed to untangle themselves at the bottom of the bank.
Woolford said his wife was left shaken and distressed, and while one of their dogs had blood on it, they were not badly injured.
“It could have been so much more serious,” he said. “What about next week, or the week after? Where does it all end?”
He said Rotorua Lakes Council sent two dog control officers to the scene, but his wife was too upset at the time to gather details and the people with the other dogs had already left.
“If they were honest, they’d come forward.”
He said the incident highlighted growing fears among dog owners who wanted to walk their pets safely.
“What are we supposed to do?” he asked. “If I want to walk my dogs, do I just stay on my section? Normal people can’t even take their dog for a walk in peace any more.”
He is calling for greater accountability and stronger enforcement around dog control.
“Where does it all end? My wife is really upset, and our dogs could have been badly injured or killed.”
Council destination, strategy and community group manager Jean-Paul Gaston said while most dog owners do the right thing, these incidents were a reminder that all owners had a responsibility to ensure their dogs are well managed and under control at all times.
“Dog attacks and dog-related injuries are traumatic, and our thoughts are with the person affected,” Gaston told the Rotorua Daily Post.
He encouraged anyone involved in, or witness to, a dog-related incident to report it to the council as soon as possible.
Timely reporting helped council teams identify the offending dog and take appropriate action.
Gaston said the following details were helpful if people were able to get them:
“Council now has the ability to identify offending dogs using DNA sampling and testing,” Gaston said.
“Timely reports are important, as this allows officers to take DNA samples from wounds and/or clothing.”
He said dog attacks could happen at any time and in any place.
“People are advised to keep a safe distance from roaming or uncontrolled dogs and to report roaming dogs immediately by calling (07) 348 4199 at any time.
“Photographs, videos, or detailed descriptions can help with identification.”
The council has proposed a national review of New Zealand’s dog control laws.
Last month, elected members unanimously agreed to submit a remit to Local Government New Zealand, seeking support for a focused review of the Dog Control Act 1996.
Mayor Tania Tapsell said at the time this was in response to “serious and significant dog attacks” in Rotorua and other communities, and the act restricting the council’s ability to help manage this.
Shortly after, the Government ordered a comprehensive review of the act to crack down on roaming and uncontrolled dogs, following horrific attacks.
Local Government Minister Simon Watts said the scope would include looking at clauses that may be imposing barriers or resource pressure on councils, as well as penalties and consequences for non-compliant dog owners, desexing obligations, and stronger powers for council officers.
Mihiata Te Rore, 62, was killed by three dogs in Northland and a Christchurch incident left three people injured, one critically, this year.
The Rotorua Daily Post last month reported the case of a 6-year-old girl who was scarred for life after being bitten on the face by her Rotorua uncle’s dog in Tauranga.
Two police officers were bitten by a dog during a callout in Old Taupō Rd in September last year and 12 months earlier, Suz Guet was mauled by three unregistered dogs on Sunset Rd, leaving her with severe injuries.