KEY POINTS:
Here is an earlier selection of your views:
Mother of dog attack victim
I am the mother of the 7 year old girl that was attacked in October last year, and at the time I didn't want to go to the media as I had more pressing concerns, like getting my daughter through the first two lots of surgery she needed and getting the dog impounded so a full investigation into the accident could be done by the council. It is not the dogs fault it was the how the dog had been brought up. I have questioned right through the ordeal; why I had to contact the council two days after the attack to get the dog impounded - should that not have been the owners responsibility? I would have had my dog destroyed immediately after such an attack. Upon the council originally impounding the dog they returned it to the owners - the council had been to the hospital got a surgeons report on the damaged caused and a report from my daughters father on what occurred, they also had photos of the injuries - but they still choose to return this dog into the public arena. I found out it had been returned and had to go to the Mayor and his councilors to get the dog re-impounded then destroy. To me this was poor management on the councils behalf. The ordeal we have been through continues as we don't know if her foot will ever grow, I struggle to get support thru the health system to get her counselling for her fear of dogs and nightmares she is having - ACC dont want to know, and it has cost me a fortune in time off work, medical costs, and stress - let alone what the whole situation has done to my daughter. The court awarded my daughter $1000.00 in damages and that was it. As far as I am concerned the Dog Control Act is a joke. I have to say a huge thank you to the surgeons and my GP who without them my daughter may have lost her foot.
Auckland
I honestly do not understand what is happening in this country! How can we say that all dogs should be muzzled? What should be happening here is the general public should be taught how to respect dogs, not how we can better educate the owner or that we should muzzle a dog, because of what it is naturally reacting to! Being a dog owner and mother of a 3 year old, I have educated my son to never approach a dog that is tied up regardless of whether the owner is there or not. It is only natural for a dog to lash out if they feel threatened in anyway. Trying to pat a dog that is near the owner and is tied up is asking for trouble! They are unable to remove themselves from your approach, so the only way of telling you to leave them alone is to bite! Many times I have been walking my dog and have had to tell people not to pat him because he doesn't know them, and would rather just get on with his daily walk. Why do we have to react so strongly to something that could be so easily dealt with, if we have a little common sense!
Debbie (Auckland)
How can people be so silly as to pat a dog they don't know without asking the owner if it is okay to do so? Sure, dogs that have shown an aggressive streak shouldn't be in public places, but I would never pat a random dog without knowing if it's okay. It's just common sense. The suggestion of muzzling all dogs is just ridiculous - sure dog ownership and owner training should be stricter, but muzzling all dogs is not the answer. If a day comes where I can't take my dog to the park to play fetch, it will be a sad day indeed.
Hugh Mann
A good starting point in preventing dog attacks would be for the police to actually charge the owners with the very serious offences that they are committing and have adequate consequential penalties in place. We could also help the police by making it mandatory to prosecute, thereby relieving them of spending so much time and trouble trying to decide whether or not to prosecute each case and sometimes even deciding not to.
Roz
Ahhh, once again. Glad Im a cat lover.
PCb (Auckland)
The answer is obvious. Any unlicensed dog found wandering - put it down. Then make ownership a responsibility (properties fenced etc etc).
Dog Owner D
It should be common sense to not "pat a dog on the head" if the dog is not known to you. This act often involves leaning over the dog, which the dog interprets as a sign of dominance. There is enough blame to go around here, bad owners, ignorant public, and bad dogs (with bad dogs being in the minority by far)
Gillian (Sth OF Auckland)
These dick head people that train these dogs need to be exterminated not the dog. Like any animal, a dog can be trained to do things. My good friend has 2 purebred red nose pitty's and one is my fave dog ever. He is a huge pitty, in fact, there aren't many that size around, but he is a smart, lovable, happy, boofhead really. Yes, he could probably kill you but it would be death by licking! There is nothing wrong with a pitbull. The real problem, is the type of people that are training/breeding these dogs, it is all about how the animals are brought up and their surroundings. Co-incdentally, most of the stories (that we hear about anyway) the dogs are brought up in rough areas, are not treated well anyway, and are around violence. Pitbulls are not stupid and are much like kids, they just need a lot of love. And these stupid people that intentionally put these or any dogs in harms way need to be severally punished (preferably shot).
Jay, Dog Owner
It's simple really. My family and I have owned well over 30 dogs in our life time and I can only stress one think. There are no such thing as bad dogs, just poor owners. Whether a dog is aggressive or not is nothing to do with the breed. Natural instinct of any animal or human (including dogs) is to attack in defence and hunt for food. When ppl give dogs a home they train/influence them to behave in whatever way the owner wants. Why are ppl throwing fits to put dogs down? Just lock the owners away for a long time and that'll be the end of the story. A pit bull can be brought up to be a baby's play toy and in the same way a dashhound can be brought up to hunt lions. This issue is not about dogs and muzzles but irresponsible owners and when the government decides to do something about incapable ppl owning and training dogs to hurt other dogs and ppl.
Sparky
These dogs are dangerous the breed should be culled for all our safety. I say ban them now and the ones that are here in NZ, destroy them.
Paula
If the owner of the dogs that killed that woman are not put in prison for manslaughter then the police/courts have a lot to answer for. What about the woman who went to prison after a man ignored 2 warning signs and went into a gated property and was bitten by her dog?
Animal lover
All dogs have owners, when these are not responsible people they should be heavily fined and the dog or dogs that have attacked anyone, provoked or not, should be destroyed, no second chances allowed. While this may sound harsh, it is the only solution to ensuring that everyone is safe around dogs. Some breeds should be banned from NZ as they are overseas (the RSPCA will back me here), and yes, at all times when walking a dog it should be on a lead and have a muzzle on it thus ensuring safety to humans, and to other dogs. Any dog found wandering should be impounded and a hefty fine set in order for its release, if found wandering a second time then it should be destroyed as obviously the owners simply do not care enough for its welfare. Responsible, caring owners are what a dog needs all its life.
Deborah Thomson
Thursday 26th April around 6pm Palms (Shopping Mall Christchurch) car-park by the bike rack, 2 dogs tied up, 1 Jack Russell x and a black lab x a young boy about 8 years old thrashing the smaller dog, given the cowing fear exhibited by the bigger dog I doubt that this was a one off incident, I did remonstrate with the child and given his reaction this was probably a first for him. Until we have a system were you need to be licensed before you can even contemplate owning a dog and that that license is based on permanent residency, an understanding canine behavior, basic training and providing a safe caring living environment for dogs, we will have the continued learned behavior of the like that I witnessed in the Palms, which will only contribute to the ongoing dog attack incidents that we continue to have and will continue to have until this government address the problems of unsuitable dangerous owners rather than the dogs which are a product of their environment.
Lucy
Recent media hype over vicious dog attacks are a blatant misrepresentation over the Pitbull breed of dog. The majority of dogs that attack & are then labelled "pitbulls" are nothing of the sort, they are inbred mongrels combining many types of terrier some of which sadly includes pitbull. I personally own a pitbull who is the most friendly cruisy dog you could find who wouldn't dream of leaving our property nor savaging an innocent person passing by. These idiots who breed or train their dogs to become killing machines should be held accountable. And the really sad thing is you can train any dog to be like that, even a labrador which has the highest rate of attacks/bites on children than any other breed of dog. Go figure.
Simon
The problem these days is that people assume they know how to determine if a dog is safe or not, the latest case of a dog attacking a lady in a supermarket as a prime example. Holding out your hand to any dog if you are above it is a sign of threat. With close to 40 signs of stress evident in a dog it is the dog owners that need to be educated in what these most prominent signs are. Before this happens attacks will still occur. It is never safe to simply go and pat a dog unless you are 100 per cent confident you can identify those stress signs or if you ask the owner. I would never be able to justify muzzling my dog in public but if he is tied up people should not go and pat him, despite how friendly he looks.
Confused dog lover
After losing our dear family dog in 2005, we came across a dog which was mistreated. Being the dog person I am, I brought it home to nurse for a while. However my husband took a liking to this dog. Then I found out he was a mixed breed with pitbull. This made me feel very anxious as we have two young girls, and I hear often of the attacks that these dogs put onto their owners, strangers and children. I just cannot see this dog being uncontrollable and aggressive. Just recently he was attacked by a mixed pitbull, while walking with my husband. Our dog was the submissive one, and just took it all. We are a very loyal loving family, and share this with our beloved pets. This male dog is I guess 2 years old, and has much loyalty, obedience, patience and much more. He is great with our children, and is a big pleaser. However, I am now faced with the decision to decide, do we keep him and give him a second chance in life as every dog deserves, or do we pack his things and say goodbye to him. My heart goes out to the family who lost their mother, grandmother, aunty, dear friend and loyal neighbour.
Wayne Kerr
We should have rules and regulations in place...bla bla bla, we should up the fine to $10,000 bla bla bla, we should licence people, we should, we should, we should bla bla bla. What a load of politically correct mumbo jumbo. Most of the people who own dogs that kill or maim cannot afford the fine so how would it be paid after a death or injury to an innocent person?Wasting more council money or government money is not the answer. Exterminating all dogs in a certain category, even if it is a cross bred dog would go some way to fixing the problem. The ultimate answer is to arm the dog rangers and let them use a "silver pill" to fix the problem.
Marjorie
What's the solution for negligent owners and their dangerous dogs? Well, I have to say, in my experience, I've found most people really don't care. The information is out there already, yet politicians and an ignorant populace keep pushing for breed bans, public muzzle laws, etc., even though they've not only been proven ineffective in reducing dog bites, but they often result in an increase in bites. I've been researching dog biting incidents for the past eight years. I've trained dogs for 30 years, and specialized in (successfully!) re-training aggressive dogs for a decade. The factors common to unprovoked biting incidents have nothing to do with breed, and everything to do with negligent ownership. One city has proved just how effective dog control measures can be, in reducing dog bites. They should know. With the lowest dog bite rate of any major city in that country, they have something to teach the rest of us. In fact, they've already successfully exported their winning strategy to other regions, who've found it equally successful.Here's what they recommend: 1. Enforce existing dog control by-laws. (Imagine that!) The city I'm talking about boasts a 98 per cent dog licensing rate. (Most cities report only 10-20 per cent of dogs are licensed.)
Jen
Fancy bending down to pat any dog that is a stranger to you!! With all of the media around you'd think people would learn. I am sick to death of people wanting to pat my two dogs. Sometimes people ask, some times I have to move the dogs away before they can be patted. Our dogs aren't dangerous - they're small dogs, but who knows, they may bite if they get hurt. Parents often look at us in horror because we don't allow their children to pat our dogs. The kids cry, the parents get upset, but we still have our dogs.We have parents tell us we're bad owners because we won't let the children have access to the dogs and that the dogs should get used to the children. Well were dinks, and don't want a stranger's children patting our dogs! Well, I don't trust the children as much as I wouldn't trust a strange dog. We have had children kick our dogs whilst parents stand by and watch thinking it is cute. We don't want our dogs to be put at risk because of children who aren't controlled enough by their parents - put the kids on the leash too.
Jill Kaeppeli
Think it is important to have these dangerous dogs banned as soon as possible as it is giving people a false impression of dogs. They are not all bad. May pay to just check out a few of the SPCA's and what they are doing with such dogs. Do they all put such dogs done or do they re home them??? Could be worth investigating.
William Potter
The owner of the dogs that killed the woman should be prosecuted and jailed. It is about time a serious message was sent to the low lifes that own these vicious animals and allow them to roam uncontrolled.
Toa Greening
I very much sympathise with the family who has lost a mother and agree fully that wandering dogs which attack people should be destroyed. But lets put this into perspective with a few facts from Manukau City. The current Manukau Dog management statistics showed that from a total population of approximately 16,000 dogs that 66 were seized for attacking people and 2385 dogs were destroyed for lesser offences. That's right 0.4 per cent were seized for attacking people and 15 per cent were destroyed for lesser offences. Yes dog destruction is being taken very seriously, in fact along with microchiping, the slaughter of dogs is now big business throughout Auckland. Forget about the knee jerk reactions from politicians, when they introduced microchiping it was obvious that this was not going to solve the problem of dog attacks. The real issue is that anyone can breed dogs. There needs to be a proper dog population management plan in place such as incentives for the sterilisation of dogs, a limit of dog breeding to registered breeders only and more support for groups in dog owner education.
Kathryn
Tightening dog control laws to prevent attacks makes as much sense as banning smacking to prevent child abuse. There will always be a sector of the community who see themselves as outside the law, and the only way to stop these individuals is public vigilence and tougher policing. Get real Labour, and start putting some money where your mouth is!
Laura Hayter
In this situation where the 85year old was bitten I personally believe it may have been human error. You should not approach any dog that you do not know, that is not accompanied by the owner, or tied up by itself. Unless you ask the owner if it is ok to do this. You leave yourself wide open to be bitten as a dog in this case is only protecting itself. It wouldnt know that you mean no harm. But where the lady was killed this was the owners fault. These dogs were clearly dangerous and something should have been done much earlier.
Jessica
I think that the lady was in the wrong, most people know not to pat any dog. The dog probably thought it was in danger - a strangers hand coming towards you.
Richard Clark
Dogs bite. Period. That is what Dogs do.People bite verbally, physically and emotionally. That is what people do. Period. So, what do we do regarding Dogs, all dogs, not simply those that are inappropriate. Micro chipping is a start. I have a dog, an 8 year old, she is micro chipped. I got her in America and she has travelled all over with me, hiking and working on the land. She is a well trained pet, do I trust her when people are around, NO, she is a dog and she will protect herself. She has been attacked by other Dogs in Venice Beach and Arizona. I am especially careful with her around children and if people ask if they can pat her I simply say, "be aware, she is a dog". As with cars, it is a privilege, not a right, to own a dog, or any animal. No matter if you are a farmer or a city dweller, dogs are dogs. If your dog is not registered, like your car, it is quite simple really, it's illegal. Common sense takes awareness, acceptance and action to practice. If you object to registration or microchipping you are quite possibly not suited to owning a Dog or a Car and especially, Children.
Clara
Banning these breeds is not the option, the government rushed through a law that everyone knew was going to be hard to enforce. My dog and I (I owned a rotti, she has since past) where out walking (she was on her lead as required by law) and we were attacked, yes attacked by a jack russell that came out of no where. The owner of this little rat was accusing my dog of attacking hers how do you figure this!! People blame the big dogs but forget that little dogs can bite just as much. As for patting a dog that is tethered the rule is you don't come down over them and you don't pat strange dogs. If the owner is near maybe ask their permission first. Animals like people are products of their environments.
Heather
Once again, there is a spate of 'killer dogs' on the rampage, or, rather, this is what the media would have us believe. Without taking away from the severity and sadness of the attacks recently, I view these articles with a sense of forboding. Us dog owners who register and train our dogs are now likely to be even more penalised for keeping dogs as companions and as part of our families. We take them everywhere, for our, and their pleasure. We love to play with them on the beach, and walk to the shops to get the weekend paper with them. They travel in our cars and come camping with us. More and more frequently, however, we are unable to use public areas due to the ramifications of the few dog owners who choose to treat their pets as a symbol of their power. Sure, spey and neuter (as us responsible owners already do), put down dangerous breeds of dogs; force them to be exercised within the boundaries of safe locations, make them wear muzzles. But don't inflict on us law-abiding owners the same treatment, don't make us pay for their mistakes, whether through increasing yet again the costs of registration (from which we will see little or no benefit- note the lack of dog-friendly public spaces we already pay for!), or tarring our dogs with the same brush tainted by the actions of a few.
Bug
And now we have a case of a Police dog (which I am assuming is an Alsatian), savaging a 3yr old girl walking to the shop with her aunty. Does this mean we need to look at banning Alsatians? Will the dog handler in this instance be facing charges? If the Police cannot train their dogs not to attack helpless 3yr old children - should Anyone be allowed to own a dog? Or does this just help to prove that all breeds are capable of vicious attacks, and it is not the breed of dog that is at fault here, but the owners/trainers of the dogs for the way they have raised/trained (or not) their dog/s. Lets face it. Its People that have a problem with Dogs biting people. Im sure the Dogs are fine with it. So isnt it up to us People to make rules for other People, to stop the stupidity of the few, that ruin it for the rest of us.
Jgee
I am a young women that owns a supposedly "dangerous dog" he is very large and powerful. I feel very secure having him with me,when i go for my regular walks at night. I know that if i was to be attacked,my dog would not hesitate to protect his master.I have complete control of the dog with just the sound of my voice. I think people forget that a dog is only a dog after all and its in there nature to guard and protect.I feel safe in my home knowing he is on the property. I just find it funny that there's an uproar about dogs yet us humans are committing savage attacks on others everyday. I think the problem is the strays.
Janine
This woman should have known better than to pat a strange dog. As dog owners ourselves we are cautious when taking our dogs out and as docile as they both are we as owners take the precaution when around strange people! We also have problems with kids around our property - our dogs are fully fenced in yet the kids still want to come & pat - if they were bitten it would be our dogs and us that would suffer and it wouldn't be our fault. There needs to be more action at the family/teaching end to prevent dog bites like this. I do hope this woman recovers well but she is to blame in this instance!
Jo
Instead of 'knee-jerk' reactions, perhaps educating children from a young age that petting strange dogs, sticking arms over fences, shouting and throwing things at dogs that are on their own property or approaching any unfamiliar dog is a bad idea - and explain why. Growing up in the UK I was relentlessly told not to go near any dog unless I asked the owner if it would ok to pat it. Unfortunately a Jack Russell - decided to latch onto my face and bit straight through my lip and cheek when I was 7 years old - unprovoked.... But that is by the by. It all has to begin somewhere. In NZ I think the attitude is that owning a dog is a right, not a privilege - that can clearly be seen by the way that the majority of owners in NZ treat their dogs and their attitudes to raising and caring for them. I own a Staffy cross and a 70kg Mastiff. I would trust anyone with both of them unconditionally - if my partner or myself are there too - but I would not be so sure if you decided to clim over my garden fence to see if they'd like a pat!!! Dogs are by nature one step away from wild animals, they have natural instincts that through puppy pre-school, training etc can be subdued - but it should always be kept in the back of the mind that they are capable of seriously hurting if they feel threatened or scared. I remember a few years ago it was the Bullmastiff that was the new 'terror' breed, before that it was the Rottweilers turn again and before that it was the German Shepherd that needed to be banned! Education is the key here, tougher penalties may sound 'scary' but honestly - the people that it would affect don't give a hoot about legislation, micro-chipping, registering etc. This is not an overnight fix and serious consideration needs to take place - and please lets not see another 'tag' that costs $80 - and realistically does nothing.
Raewyn
Roaming and /or angry dogs have long appeared to have been an ignored issue in Murupara. Years of calls to the "dog man" had seemingly little or no effect. And what about the Police - do they not serve and protect the community? In such a small town they had to have rumours or inclings that something is wrong. A Whakatane Councillor lives in that town - he has to be aware there is this huge problem. Perhaps what is needed are regulators/ inspectors who do not have ties within the community. Murupara used to be a great bustling town, now it is like a dump.
Mary
In the wrong hands a dog can and is likely to become a very dangerous and lethal weapon. This fact has been proven time and time again in this country, given the number of dog attacks over the past few years. Despite the majority of the public requesting that dog owners be registered and licensed as well as their pets, the government and councils went ahead and introduced and enforced a stupid law which requires all newly registered dogs and dangerous breeds be microchipped at the time of registration. How on earth is this ridiculous legislation supposed to protect communities from dog attacks? It's the dog owners who need to be seriously checked out and only become registered and licensed when they have been deemed suitable for dog ownership. We all know there are some dog owners in possession of very dangerous dogs, who have never had their animals registered and don't intend to in the future either. Congratulations to the government and local body councils for their ignorance and stupidity in respect of dog control!
Graham
Yes, it's a terrible thing that has happened. It could have been avoided, but not with registration.So what does registration do for my dog? Nothing. A microchip is all that is required to identify it and its owner - Or even the nametag on his collar. I can care for it and any inspection would show that. So why should I register him? To pay the salaries of people imposing fines on irresponsible owners? Where does registration money go? Punish the irresponsible dog owners, not me or thousands like me.
Stu
So if the dogs were registered, they wouldn't have killed this poor lady? Is that what I'm to conclude from this? Also, would a micro-chip in the dog have prevented this attack? If this is the teeth to the dangerous dog argument, watch this space. Until dogs learn to read and can therefore understand what is expected of them once registered and micro-chipped, I really don't understand how this side of the law is supposed to protect us.
Gail Halsted
Registering dogs does not prevent attacks. It only pays the council dogs officer's salary. People should be educated in how to look after dogs and other animals from childhood by educational lectures in schools from reputable animal behavourists and also TV programs which would reach the wider adult public. Included in the information should be how to avoid a possible dangerous situation e.g. not running near dogs, if approached standing still and not making eye contact, not struggling or screaming. We are also dealing with dogs perceptions and strangers approaching to pat may stress the animal. Do not approach any dogs with or without the owners permission. Do not allow your children to rush up as the dog's perception may be that he is being attacked. Let the owners walk their dogs in peace!
Thomas
The problem of dangerous dogs is the same problem as dangerous children--irresponsible dog ownership leads to dog mauling tragedies and irresponsible parenting leads to crime and social decay. We don't seem to have the courage to fix either problem, although the solution is obvious--some people shouldn't have dogs or children.
Steve Johnson
Just shoot them all. Their dogs too.
Vyv
Dogs that are muzzled cannot bite! Surely if the government had to make changes to the dog control laws, ensuring that all dogs, regardless of their breed, were muzzled when off their property would have gone a long way to preventing these latest attacks. Muzzling is certainly a much more effective option than microchipping, and a lot less expensive.
Debbie
Regarding the lady bitten at the supermarket - people should ask if they can pat dogs first. I have a dog who thank goodness is extremely good natured and friendly. I am constantly amazed at the people (children and adults) who will just pat him, run up to cuddle him without asking me first. How would you feel if a stranger ran up to you and got right in your face - you'd want to defend yourself. People need to realise that they must ask first, they must tell their children to ask first. You just don't know if a dog is friendly or not and its not worth the risk. I feel for the owner of the Rottweiler if the old lady did not ask to pat the dog, the owner will get blamed for something the old lady should not have done without asking.
Paula
People say that they never see a dog ranger.I see them all the time in my area. Come down to Bucklands Beach at 6am on a Sunday! The dog rangers are there in force protecting the beach from a dog running on it. Or are they just revenue collecting because they know they have no chance of collecting fines off the people who live in the not so nice areas where the killer dogs roam the streets? The dog rangers are ready to pounce on a dog in Bucklands Beach that does not have a lead on (but walking with an owner under complete control) but drive through South Auckland streets and the dogs are roaming free and charging at people/posties/cars.......not a dog ranger in sight.
Maree Salter
Certain breeds of dogs are every bit as dangerous as guns and far more
dangerous than swimming pools yet guns must be kept in locked cabinets and swimming pools securely fenced.
Roy
Breed is irrelevant. I've met a truly vicious Golden Retreiver, and some very benign Rottweilers and Dobermanns. Whatever happened to the laws about wandering dogs that were put in place to control hydatids? No dog should be wandering, every owner should have their dog under control. There should be heavy penalties for infringement. Adult dogs that are found wandering and don't have a microchip should be euthanized at once. Killing people is the worst a wandering dog can do, but they can also do lesser damage including attacking children, killing kiwis and other endangered birds, worrying livestock and spreading disease. There should be zero tolerance for dogs that bite people, even people who come onto the property like meter readers and posties. People have a statutory right to come to your front door. One bite and the dog gets euthanized. A dog that threatens or bites people doesn't have the respect for human beings that it should have. For dogs that maul people or kill people, the police should charge the dog's owner with physical assault or manslaughter, both of which carry mandatory prison terms. People who own dogs that worry sheep are held responsible for the livestock losses, so why not carry the principle to its logical conclusion and hold dog owners responsible for everything their dogs do?
Ehales
Education, starting a school age and re-inforced by public notices. Don't pat strange dogs without the owners consent / presence.Dog Schools, more of them and with clear goals in mind - like the UK Kennel Club's Good Citizenship programme.
Hugh Mann
So the police need to consider if they are going to charge the owner of the dogs with manslaughter? What on earth is there to consider? He should have been charged on the day of the attack and so should the person in charge of dog control in the Bay of Plenty area. Dog owners and dog control authourities need to be made very aware of there responsibilites and actually held to account. Wake up for goodness sake!
Wayne MacDonald
It is horrific to think that so many dogs can be roaming around unleashed, unwanted and basically a status symbol for those ignorant people who think that is it cool to own something that can be so dangerous. You only have to look around a lot of neighbourhoods, especially the underpriveledged ones to see the strays wandering around. You can also see the idiots who parade their pitbulls and other cross breeds around the streets with heavy chains and leather restraints to indicate how much pulling power they have. If they are struggling to handle these animals, what chance has an elderly or young person wer