Government right to review dog control laws - Editorial
THE FACTS
- The Government is reviewing the Dog Control Act.
- This follows fatal and injurious attacks on people.
- Pets have also been attacked.
- The review will include examining penalties and consequences for non-compliant dog owners.
The Government has done the right thing by announcing a review into outdated dog control laws.
The key now is to ensure it is done properly and introduces meaningful changes.
This includes giving authorities more power to seize dangerous dogs, address desexing and impose tougher penalties.
The move, announced last weekend, comes after growing calls for something to be done, following numerous deaths and injuries, and came nearly a year to the day that dogs killed 4‑year‑old Timothy Rolleston at Katikati in Bay of Plenty.
There have been three other dog-attack deaths in four years.
In February, Mihiata Te Rore, 62, died after three dogs attacked her while she was visiting a property in Kaihu, Northland.
A man was jailed last October for manslaughter after his aggressive dogs fatally attacked Neville Thomson in August 2022.
Elizabeth “Effie” Whittaker, 78, died in a dog attack at her Ōtiria Rd home, west of Kawakawa, in October 2023.
There have been numerous other attacks causing injury and there have been calls for the country’s 30-year-old Dog Control Act to be overhauled, including from politicians and the SPCA.
The Listener reported last month that Auckland Council wants powers to enforce new fencing standards, to detain dogs considered a threat without having to go through lengthy prosecution processes, and to desex impounded dogs or those deemed to be high-risk.
In that article, there were calls for mandatory reporting of attacks by doctors, hospitals and vets. Between 2020 and 2024, ACC claims for dog bites rose from 12,817 to 15,494, most occurring in private homes.
This paper, in a February editorial, called on the Government to urgently review the country’s dog control laws and ensure they are fit for purpose.
The Government deserves credit for listening to all the calls for action and doing something about them.
The review’s scope is still being considered but will include examining penalties and consequences for non-compliant dog owners, desexing obligations and stronger powers for council officers.
The Government earlier announced a $468,000 grant to the SPCA for dog-desexing. The SPCA will contribute $700,000, bringing the total to almost $1.2 million. This will help in addressing the overall problem.
Local Government Minister Simon Watts acknowledges that people are “appalled by recent attacks by aggressive and out-of-control dogs”.
Victims will welcome change.
Many innocent people and law-abiding, responsible pet owners have had enough. They should be able to walk the streets and visit parks, beaches and other public spaces without fear of being rushed or attacked. They deserve better.
This review and any subsequent changes won’t cure the problem. There will always be aggressive dogs and careless owners. However, they will hopefully go a long way towards improving it.
This review is long overdue. The Government must now deliver.