The number of dogs put down across Auckland animal shelters has doubled; 2615 dogs were euthanised in the past financial year.
Auckland Council said a lack of de-sexing during Covid and irresponsible owners had caused an explosion of roaming dogs and they urgently need Government support to get on top of the numbers.
In the past financial year 6596 dogs were impounded across Auckland, an increase of 31 per cent.
There were 530 dog attacks on people and other animals - an increase of 30 per cent.
Auckland councillor Josephine Bartley was used to fielding complaints about roaming dogs, and in the past financial year there were 12,735 of them.
“There’s just so so many out there, I’m still hearing from people whose, you know, cats are being killed and attacked by aggressive dogs that are out there.”
Auckland councillor Josephine Bartley. Photo / Auckland Council
To deal with attacks the council had increased its animal patrols, resulting in more dogs at shelters across the city.
The sound of 107 dogs greets visitors instantly at the gates of Manukau animal shelter.
Fifty-seven per cent of impounded dogs across Auckland end up at the shelter, as it is the biggest facility, with capacity for 80 to 100 dogs.
When Checkpoint visited they were already over capacity, with 107 dogs.
During Covid, de-sexing dogs was not possible, which was part of the reason numbers were so high, but Bartley said owners needed to make it a priority again.
“What we do need is that de-sexing, because so many people are not looking after their dogs, the dogs are roaming and then they go and impregnate other dogs and then you just get that rut of more dogs, more dogs, more dogs not being looked after.”
Bartley had written to minister Kieran McAnulty for financial support towards de-sexing.
If the dogs are not claimed by their owners and they do not pass a temperament test, they need to be euthanised.
Last financial year 1660 were put down at the Manukau shelter.
“The fact that these dogs have to be killed because they can’t be rehomed because of their aggression, it’s just really disappointing to hear.”
Director of Regulatory Services at Auckland Council Craig Hobbs. Photo / RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Director of regulatory services at Auckland Council Craig Hobbs said shelters were overloaded.
“As a result of that, our people are having to take dogs back to owners that are roaming dogs or aggressive dogs, which is not an ideal scenario because quite often they’re back on the street again straight afterwards.”
The council used to offer some services to help with de-sexing dogs in 2016, with the help of central government but that was no longer the case.
It was now taking $1 from every dog registration in Auckland to put towards the issue, but it would take more than that, as it costs $300 per dog.
Hobbs said it was important to focus on the root cause of the problem: irresponsible owners.
“We’ve got so many people who took on dogs through Covid they’re now back at work, the dogs are being left to roam ... our shelter is not a doggy daycare.”
Not only were dog attacks increasing but Hobbs said aggression from members of the public and owners toward animal officers was also a problem.
“What we’re now having to do is put people two up in the van, our animal management officers, just so we’ve got that extra protection and support for those people, that means we halve our ability to respond to calls.”
Auckland Council is looking at ways to increase capacity at shelters and to hire more animal management officers.
