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A rise in dog ownership, roaming dogs, and dog attacks have resulted in a greater risk to public safety in the Far North. 

The findings were revealed in a report reviewing the Far North District Council’s animal management practices. 

Overall the report found council performed well especially given its limited resources. There were areas to improve, which council says it has taken on board. 

The review found prosecutions were well below average; roaming dogs were a serious public safety issue, and registration rates a challenge. 

The report said the Far North has unique challenges for dog control enforcement that include socio-economic factors and affordability, a lack of education around responsible dog ownership, and a large number of backyard breeders. 

Bay of Islands Animal Rescue founder Summer Johnson agreed the council needed to hold dog owners accountable and increase prosecutions. 

She wants council to introduce mandatory desexing and prosecute backyard breeders who do not comply with the Animal Welfare Act. 

“It’s worse than I’ve ever known it to be ... the roaming dogs, the undesexed dogs, the dumping of puppies and dogs.” 

Johnson said 52 puppies were dumped on Northland/Auckland Anniversary Day. 

“It’s killing my soul slowly, we can only do so much,” she said. 

Bay of Islands Animal Rescue founder Summer Johnson wants council to introduce mandatory desexing and prosecute backyard breeders who do not comply with the Animal Welfare Act. 

The report was the result of the Far North District Council last year pursuing an independent review of council’s animal management practices and procedures. 

Council wanted to ensure it was performing to the best of its ability and to identify areas of improvement. 

Auckland-based local government law firm Rice Speir carried out the review which found council performed well, especially given its limited resources. 

However the report noted the main area for improvement was prosecutions. 

It recommended council should undertake more prosecutions, and disqualify convicted owners to prevent further harm. 

The report said council carried out one prosecution a year over the last three years, which was “well below average”. 

Some sample files reviewed warranted prosecution but none were pursued. 

The report highlighted roaming dogs as a serious public safety issue. 

It said council needed to promote better compliance among dog owners to keep their canines under control at all times. 

Of the 286 roaming dogs seized and impounded in 2023/24 only eight infringement notices were issued. 

In terms of challenging dog registration rates, the report recommended council consider programmes to help dog owners afford registration. 

Registrations increased from 71% in 2022/23 to 85% in 2023/24 but the report said there were still high numbers of unregistered dogs and dogs council knew nothing about. 

In 2023/24, 1573 of known dogs were not registered. 

According to the report, only two-thirds of known menacing dogs in the district are neutered. 

It believed council should aim for near 100% compliance. 

“... The council does not currently have any formal follow-up system in place with regard to menacing dogs to confirm compliance with the classification.” 

An independent report found FNDC performed well but could be doing more to promote responsible dog ownership. 

Bay of Islands Watchdogs group co-ordinator Leonie Exel said the report did not go far enough. 

She wanted repeat problem dog owners identified. 

“They need to prosecute people who are abusive toward their dogs and who let their dogs out of their control all the time, and where their dogs attack people in particular.” 

Two separate dog attacks took place on Taipā Beach in December - the first on a 42-year-old woman, followed by an 8-year-old child. 

In January, a mum was bitten by a large dog in a children’s playground in Kaitāia. 

Two people have been killed by aggressive dogs in the Far North since 2022. 

Neville Thomson, 69, was mauled to death by his lodger’s dogs in Panguru in 2022, and Elizabeth “Effie” Whittaker, 78, died when she tried to break up a dog fight on her Moerewa property in 2023. 

Northland MP Grant McCallum said there had been far too many reports of dangerous dogs in the Far North. 

He did not want Northland to get a reputation for having lots of dangerous dogs and dog attacks. 

McCallum implored the council to enforce its bylaws and to divert extra funds to do the job right. 

He said he would talk about any law improvements needed but believed the law was currently adequate to deal with dangerous dogs. 

FNDC delivery and operations acting group manager Trent Blakeman said the recommendations had been carefully considered by council. 

A community liaison officer would be appointed to work with communities to educate dog owners about registration and responsible ownership. 

The council is updating forms and working on the enforcement of menacing dog classifications. 

Blakeman said a high number of prosecutions have been taken by council over the years but insufficient evidence or a lack of willing witnesses were factors in deciding whether to allocate ratepayer funds on a prosecution. 

“... It is irresponsible owners who are the biggest dog control challenge faced by our animal management team.” 

Blakeman said commissioning the report demonstrated council’s willingness to improve. 

Jenny Ling is a senior journalist at the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering human interest stories, along with roading, lifestyle, business, and animal welfare issues.