22 dogs and puppies uplifted from one Ōpōtiki property

Ōpōtiki District Council dog control staff have confirmed that four dogs that bailed up a woman outside a Ford St property on December 27 were from the same household as those that seriously wounded a woman in September.

In the latest incident, a woman in her 60s was badly frightened when she was rushed and surrounded by four dogs and made a report to the council’s after-hours service just after 8am while the council offices were closed for the Christmas-New Year break.

Council compliance officer Annette Munday said contractors followed up at 10.05am but the dogs were no longer at the property.

After the Christmas break, council staff investigated and four unregistered dogs were uplifted and impounded.

A total of 22 dogs and puppies have now been uplifted from the same property since mid-September.

Most of them were taken after a young woman was hospitalised with serious injuries after being attacked by a group of four dogs on September 14.

Ōpōtiki pound: Four dogs have been uplifted and impounded this week from the same address where five dogs and 13 puppies were uplifted in September after a vicious attack that left a woman with serious injuries. Photo / LDR

Emergency services and Ōpōtiki District Council dog control contractors responded to the event on Church St at around 10.30pm.

Police said dogs continued to rush at police and ambulance staff and members of the public as they attempted to help the victim.

Animal control officers worked with police to secure and impound the dogs at the Ōpōtiki pound. The owner agreed to surrender the dogs, and they were put down.

Ōpōtiki animal control officers, following up on the incident two days later, discovered 13 puppies at the property, from two litters, which the owner surrendered to animal control.

The property was re-inspected on September 18 and yet another unregistered dog was discovered and uplifted.

The owner was allowed to keep one elderly dog which was registered and not involved in the attack.

Munday said the property did have adequate fencing but the owner has been fined for each unregistered dog and for the unconfined-uncontrolled activity of the dogs.

She said over the two-week Christmas break the after-hours service provider had logged nine dog-related calls, which were all attended to.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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