Auckland Council is calling for dog owners to step up after a worrying increase in dog attacks in the region.
Data released by the council on Tuesday found the total number of dog attacks reported in 2022-2023 increased by 28 percent to 2437.
This is despite Auckland's known dog population increasing by just 5.4 percent to 131,795 dogs. Of these, 5410 dogs have been classified as menacing and 10 dogs classified as dangerous.
"There were 250 more attacks on people and 280 more attacks on other animals reported in the past year. However, we know by looking at data from ACC that only about 20 percent of dog bites are reported to the council," Auckland Council's manager of animal management Elly Waitoa said.
"These numbers are really worrying, especially when you consider that dogs who have attacked once are more likely to attack again unless sufficient interventions are put in place."
The report also found reports of dogs acting aggressively towards other animals or people was up 59 percent from the previous year.
It is putting pressure on council staff who were called to 33,301 dog attacks or aggressive behaviour between June 2022 and June 2023.
Animal shelters in the city are also filling up with 6596 dogs impounded to the council's three animal shelters over the year.
Waitoa said staff are working tirelessly to keep Aucklanders safe and care for impounded dogs but they are limited to what they can do.
The council is calling on the community to help them get on top of this issue.
"Dog numbers are out of control in Tāmaki Makaurau and our shelters can’t keep up with the demand. We need people to be more responsible, starting with thinking carefully before getting a dog and whether they can give it a home for life," Auckland Council regulatory and safety committee chair councillor Josephine Bartley said.
In addition to keeping dogs contained and under control at all times, she said one of the most important things dog owners can do is de-sex their pets.
"Not only does de-sexing help reduce the number of unwanted puppies, but de-sexed dogs are less likely to be aggressive and are less likely to roam. Unsurprisingly, about 80 percent of the dogs that come into the council’s shelters are not de-sexed."
The COVID-19 pandemic is believed to be a contributing factor to the rise in dog aggression and attacks.
The report found reports of dog attacks, roaming dogs and aggression in Tāmaki Makaurau have been increasing steadily since 2020.
"Lots of people were getting puppies while they were at home during lockdown, but because de-sexing was not an essential service, vets weren’t able to perform de-sexing and dogs weren't able to be adequately socialised," Waitoa said.
"Now, these puppies are larger dogs and their owners have gone back to work, meaning there are more dogs in homes and out on the streets behaving undesirably."
The council has helped run community registration, de-sexing, microchipping and adoption drives throughout the year, as well as education events to increase dog safety awareness.
