However, council animal control staff say they are also dog lovers and are saddened by the number of dogs that have to be put to sleep.
Ms Mander said it was a serious problem and needed to be addressed.
"As is so often the case, it is my understanding that a small number of people who have dogs are responsible for a large number of the cases.
"More effort should be put into educating these people.
"It is not that they have no respect for their dogs, it is that they know no better."
She said more resources should be put into dog owner education.
"A lot of people chain their dogs up outside all day. The dogs don't have shade, the concrete might be hot on their paws and as pack animals they long for company.
"No wonder these same dogs bark, cause public nuisance and roam about the first chance they get. It is not easy on them. It is cruel.
"No one wants to see this many dogs killed each year and that much money spent doing it. Reduce costs, reduce complaints and improve welfare. It is a win-win for everyone," she said.
Council regulatory services manager Neven Hill said the animal welfare budget included the cost of caring for impounded dogs, feeding, and veterinary treatment.
The cost of putting dogs to sleep is about $10,000 per year, less than 30 per cent of the total animal welfare budget.
He said dogs were humanely put to sleep by injection administered by a qualified vet, with each procedure costing about $10.
"Dogs have to be euthanised for a number of reasons, including being in a serious health condition, assessed as a public safety danger or simply unwanted and unable to be re-housed.
"As dog owners themselves, having to put dogs to sleep is the most distressing part of the job of animal control supervisor Kevin Coutts and his team."
Mr Hill said working with dog owners to help them understand what's needed to care for pets and for keeping other people safe was a key focus of their work.
"We work with individual owners, schools and dog obedience groups.
"We advocate for responsible ownership of dogs and we're constantly providing advice on appropriate care, exercise and suitable housing."
He said staff usually found new homes for about 100 abandoned or impounded dogs each year and regarded measures like impounding, issuing fines or prosecution as last resorts.
"Unfortunately sometimes these measures are necessary for public safety or for the welfare of a dog as there are too many dog owners who simply refuse to take their responsibilities seriously.
"What's most important is that a dog is well fed, sheltered, regularly exercised and cared for.
"While many of the complaints we deal with have an element of irresponsible dog ownership, most dogs are well cared for by their owners and never come to our attention.
"Staff will try and return a roaming dog to its owners and help educate them about the need for their dog to be kept properly contained.
"Sadly the education process doesn't hit the mark with some owners," Mr Hill said.
Rotorua SPCA manager Eve Johnson said education was important and this year the organisation would introduce further initiatives to address this in Rotorua, working with other agencies to ensure they had a united voice.
"The SPCA is an animal welfare agency and takes responsibility for educating the community about welfare issues in relation to all animals, working closely with Rotorua District Council.
"We have an ongoing desexing initiative to reduce the amount of unwanted dogs and cats in the community and make people aware of the responsibility of bringing an unwanted litter into the community.
"Our role is to ensure animals that have been subject to cruelty are rehomed. Lost or unclaimed dogs rarely come to the SPCA," Mrs Johnson said.
Dogs destroyed in the Rotorua District:
*** 2013/14 to date: 596 dogs euthanised (39 per cent of impounded dogs)
*** 2012/13: 1003 dogs euthanised (48 per cent of impounded dogs)
*** 2011/12: 1093 dogs euthanised (51 per cent of impounded dogs)
*** 2010/11: 900 dogs euthanised (51 per cent of impounded dogs)
You can help by:
*** Giving an unwanted dog a new life by adopting from the pound
*** Reporting incidences of neglect or cruelty to the SPCA
*** Reporting roaming dogs or stock to the council
*** Reporting unregistered dogs to the council
*** Making sure children understand how to behave around dogs
*** Understanding your dog's welfare needs
*** Making sure your dogs are registered, micro-chipped and wear tags
