‘Dogs deserve better’: Councillors support campaign to address roaming dog crisis

Auckland Council is intensifying its response to the city’s roaming dog problem with a new campaign focussed on urging careless owners to act and encouraging the public to remain vigilant.

Local politicians warn that roaming dogs present serious risks not only to people and communities, but also to the dogs themselves.

The campaign, ‘Who let the dogs out?’, includes three impactful television commercials that demonstrate the potential harm to dogs left to roam freely, the danger they might pose to others, and the unfortunate reality that some may face euthanasia when owners fail to take responsibility.

The goal is to shake owners out of their “blasé” attitudes and encourage them to improve their care for their dogs, families, and communities.

Community leaders and residents have continued to voice their concerns about roaming dogs. One South Auckland councillor says the problem has even driven local rangatahi to speak out.

“Our young ones see the problem. If school pupils are doing deputations about roaming dogs, you know we need to step up as owners,” says Manukau Ward councillor Alf Filipaina.

Students at Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate were so worried about roaming dogs near their school that they addressed Auckland Council’s dog policy panel. Filipaina commends these rangatahi for their involvement, as it is uncommon for young people to take such initiative.

As a key leader in South Auckland, he says the dogs are not the culprits in this crisis, rather it is negligent owners who need to improve.

Filipaina says dogs deserve better, and anyone who can’t care for their pets properly shouldn’t have them. “What really sticks out for me is, dogs deserve better, and they do. They deserve a better owner, and they don’t deserve to be euthanised because of the neglect from owners who let them roam.”

His advice to potential dog owners is straightforward. “If you’re going to buy a dog, look after your bloody dog. If you’re not prepared to, don’t bloody get a dog because you’re sending it to the pound to get euthanised, and that’s wrong.”

Every year, thousands of dogs are found wandering the streets of Auckland, many of which are unregistered and unchipped. About half of all impounded roaming dogs are euthanised because no one claims them.

Robert Irvine, Auckland Council’s General Manager of Licensing and Compliance, says the council receives around 15,000 reports of roaming dogs each year, along with more than 1200 reports of attacks on people and other animals. He says the real figures are likely much higher.

“We are throwing all the resources we have at this problem, but we need dog owners to play their part and take responsibility for their pets, otherwise, this problem is never going to go away,” Irvine says.

A new Auckland Council campaign is targeting owners who let their dogs roam. Photo/Auckland Council

The campaign slogan, ‘For you, your dog, and your neighbours’, aims to connect with owners’ personal motivations, to prevent their dogs from wandering. One advertisement filmed inside a council shelter, features a real Animal Management officer caring for an abandoned dog.

“Sadly, only around half of impounded roaming dogs are claimed by their owners, meaning the majority of unclaimed dogs are humanely euthanised if they can’t be rehomed,” Irvine says.

“Our shelter staff are all dog lovers, so it’s hard for them to see so many dogs abandoned by owners who don’t seem to care.”

Regulatory and Safety Committee Chair, Josephine Bartley, says they are concerned about the impacts of roaming dogs on children, adding that too many are afraid to walk to school because of them.

Roaming dogs pose risks to communities and themselves. Photo/File

“Too many dog owners think it’s okay to let their dogs have a wander. It’s not. We have kids scared to walk to school and people living alone who don’t want to leave their homes in case they get bitten. It’s also not fair on the dogs to let them out on their own, as they could be hit by a car, attacked by another animal or be impounded,” Bartley says.

The campaign is funded through fines imposed on owners who fail to register their dogs and will target the communities most affected, especially in South and West Auckland.

Addressing dog-related issues is a top priority for Auckland Council. The campaign is one of several initiatives underway. The council has invested more than $5 million in new Animal Management staff, expanded kennel space, desexing drives, and the Pukekohe Adoption and Education Centre.

From 1 July 2024 to 29 June 2025, 10,141 dogs were impounded, an increase from 8306 the previous year. Other measures include public education, targeted desexing in high-risk areas, registration drives, and advocating for changes to the Dog Control Act 1996.

Bartley says that councils require stronger powers to address owners of roaming dogs and would support legal reforms to achieve this.

“I have recommended that councils take a stronger enforcement role, as communities have had enough of roaming dogs. I’d like to see more penalties for people who don’t care about their dogs, or what they get up to while on the loose,” she says.

Filipaina’s message is simple: “Dogs deserve better. If you can’t look after your dog, don’t bloody get one.”

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