Residents living near a new refuge to house pets of victims of domestic violence are furious it will be based in their neighbourhood.
The temporary home for pets, in the Auckland suburb of Rodney, has the backing of the Women's Refuge, who said women often are torn between leaving their pets and seeking safety.
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It was founded by Julie Chapman, who's using her "inheritance" to provide shelter for the pets.
But one neighbour believed the activity was not permitted in the area.
"Yet council did not consider the impacts on us when granting the consent," the neighbour told news source Local Matters.
"The noise assessment is inadequate and highly questionable."
Other neighbours reportedly said they were annoyed they did not get the chance to submit on the consent application.
The council says it followed necessary procedure in the consent process.
"Like the vast majority of applications assessed by councils throughout the country, this proposal proceeded without public notification," said Auckland Council resource consents manager Ian Dobson.
"This proposal was not deemed to have adverse effects on the environment or people, which is the trigger for notification," he told Local Matters.
Often abusive men threaten to kill or harm pets of women they are abusing to control them.
One woman, who Newshub couldn't identify for her own safety, lost two cats to a violent partner.
"Not having my cat here now because of the violence she suffered - it's heartbreaking," the unnamed woman said last month. "She was like my baby."
Newshub.
