All other dogs impounded at the property would remain in the council's care until the investigation was complete and ownership of the dogs was established.
Myburgh said no decision had been made on charges resulting from Thomson's death. The council was liaising with police about legal options.
The fatal mauling occurred on Thomson's property on Puketawa Rd, about 3km north of Panguru. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Police said yesterday inquiries into the death are still ongoing, and there were no updates to share.
Thomson's neighbours describe him as "a lovely man" who adored his grandchildren and went out of his way to help the elderly — but most of all they remember his love of animals.
A Runaruna Rd couple, who did not want to be named, said they had known Thomson for almost two decades and believed he had lived at the Puketawa Rd property for 35 years.
"He was a rough diamond, there's no doubt about that — he didn't have much time for rules — but he'd do no one any harm. He was a lovely person," the woman said.
Every winter he'd cut and deliver firewood to seniors, the marae, the church and, when it was still open, the convent.
He was proud of his Scottish heritage — all his animals were given Scottish names — and especially of his children and grandchildren.
"He was a really doting grandfather. He was so incredibly proud of all of them."
Thomson was an accomplished gardener who loved growing flowers and tropical fruit, and reputedly had the best silverbeet in the district.
However broke he was, his dogs were always well fed. At one point his menagerie included draught horses, goats and a pet magpie.
The woman's strongest memory of Thomson was when his prized mare had a foal.
The foal was sickly so Thomson barely left its side as he tried to coax it to take its mother's milk.
When he managed to persuade a vet to visit his remote property he was told the foal would not survive.
"Nev just sat in the paddock holding that foal's head in his hands, tears streaming down his face. That was Neville."
The town of Panguru in North Hokianga. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Thomson's previous dog, Bruiser, was very large. As it grew older it was unable to hop up onto his ute, so Thomson would lift it onto the tray so it could accompany him wherever he went.
That was no mean feat because Thomson was not a big man, "a bit like a leprechaun really".
Knee problems meant Thomson had difficulty walking until surgery about three years ago restored his mobility and gave him a new lease on life.
It was sad that he had not been able to enjoy that for longer, she said. Thomson's death was a great shock.
At the time she was unaware anyone else was living at the property.
Like other Panguru residents spoken to by the Advocate she was convinced, even before hearing about the boarder and his dogs, that Thomson's own animals could not have been responsible for the attack.
At that point she believed he had just two dogs — a good-natured adult male named Fergus and one puppy he had kept from a litter of six.
