In the wake of the Murupara attack, Local Government Minister Paula Bennett said she was considering whether dog control regulations needed to be tightened.
However, New Zealand Institute of Animal Control Officers president Les Dalton said new laws banning specific breeds would not be effective, as many dangerous breeds had been widely cross-bred, such as "jowly" bull terrier crosses.
"There's a lot of undesirable dogs that aren't the best with humans and have not been socialised with dogs, and certainly not children."
Many of the "macho" breeds were typically found in lower socio-economic North Island areas and owned by groups of young men who had not cared for the animals.
The 1996 Dog Control Act was tightened in 2003 after 7-year-old Carolina Anderson suffered a horrific attack in an Auckland park, needing years of reconstructive surgery.
Dog owners must now register, microchip and fence their animals. They must also muzzle dogs in public if they have been classified as menacing or dangerous.
It is illegal to import American pitbull terrier, dogo argentino, Brazilian fila, and Japanese tosa breeds.
Dog owners can be jailed for three years or fined up to $20,000 if their dog is involved in an attack causing serious injury. The penalty for not registering or microchipping a dog is $300.
