Auckland Council: Dog attacks on children happening almost daily

Recorded dog attacks on children in Auckland are occurring on an almost daily basis, with fears the situation is set to worsen.

According to an Auckland Council report, dogs attacked 228 children under 15 last year, alongside nearly 17,000 roaming dog complaints.

The figures, released in Auckland Council’s Animal Management Annual Report 2024/25, were tabled at Tuesday's Regulatory and Safety Committee meeting.

The Manukau Animal Shelter took in almost 60 per cent of all impounded dogs, underscoring a particular strain on southern neighbourhoods.

Animal Management Manager Elly Waitoa told Local Democracy Reporting that the problem is being fuelled by low desexing rates, dumped litters and families struggling to meet costs.

“If we don’t break the cycle, the numbers will keep rising,” she said. "I absolutely appreciate that some people just don’t have the money to get their dog desexed… but at the same time, there are quite a number of support services, rescues, SPCA, offering free or heavily reduced desexing.”

Stray dogs roam the streets. Photo/Facebook/Sannah Ieru

Council is calling for the Dog Control Act to be amended to allow compulsory desexing of impounded dogs before they are returned to their owners.

“The Act is nearly 30 years old and hasn’t kept pace,” Waitoa said. “Without legislative change, we’ll keep pouring resources into chasing roaming dogs rather than breaking the cycle.”

The report also highlighted a sharp rise in dumped litter. Last year, 22 per cent of dogs impounded were puppies under three months old, including more than 200 litters of three or more.

With shelters at or near capacity, council admits euthanasia is devastating for families and its own workforce.

“Our staff are all dog-lovers, and the high euthanasia rate puts a significant toll on them. But when you have shelters full of unregistered dogs with behaviour issues that cannot be safely rehomed, no one coming in to claim them, and more aggressive dogs on the streets needing to be impounded every day, there is no other option," Waitoa says.

Waitoa said dog owners should shop around for desexing as costs could range from $120 to $750.

She said while some also see registration as a financial burden, it is a legal requirement that helps fund services that keep communities safe.

Children cross a busy road in Manurewa where roaming dogs have become a growing concern. Photo/Auckland Council

Children at risk

Waitoa said children walking to and from school are among those most at risk from roaming dogs.

“The majority of the school education sessions undertaken by the proactive team are in the South Auckland area,” she said. “They’ve visited almost 50 schools, and a lot of those schools have high populations of Sāmoan, Pasifika and Māori students.

“We patrol before and after schools in high-risk areas so that children walking to and from school aren’t being confronted by aggressive or roaming dogs.”

Councillors Daniel Newman and Lotu Fuli also pressed for stronger interventions in South Auckland, where roaming dog incidents and attacks are highest.

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