The SPCA is calling for "systemic change" after a woman was mauled to death by dogs in Northland on Tuesday.
Police are investigating after 62-year-old Mihiata Te Rore was found dead at a property on State Highway 12 in Kaihū on Tuesday morning. She had been visiting someone she knew when the three animals attacked.
The tragedy has renewed calls for accountability and changes to New Zealand's dog control laws.
Among them was SPCA, which said regulators had already been warned that the country's current approach was inadequate. It called for a "rigorous substantive review" of the law.
SPCA’s chief scientific officer Dr Arnja Dale told Breakfast the mauling was "another tragedy that’s occurred in New Zealand".
"None are okay. It is time to actually make some change here.”
She called the 30-year-old Dog Control Act (1996) "incredibly outdated" and said reforms, not just "tinkering around the edges", were necessary.
“We need central Government to show some leadership and actually deal with this problem once and for all."
Roddy Pihema spoke to Breakfast about the issue of dogs, in the wake of yesterday’s fatal attack. (Source: Breakfast)
Dale wanted reforms that were carefully considered, evidence-based, and focused on modern behavioural science and preventative measures.
Among those measures was the incorporation of recognised tools, such as the Dunbar Bite Scale, to assess the severity of dog bites.
The SPCA also sought increased funding for councils and organisations working to desex and address roaming dogs.
A woman in here 60s was mauled to death by three dogs while visiting someone she knew in Kaihū. (Source: 1News)
Since Te Rore's body was discovered, it's been revealed that animal control staff visited the property the day before, with the community also expressing concern.
Police said the dogs were now with animal management, and wanted to hear from anyone in the Kaihū community who had experienced issues with dogs roaming in the area.
The fatal mauling was the region's third in four years – the fourth nationwide.
Cabinet Minister Shane Jones said yesterday that the owners of what he called “homicidal dogs” should face a “very severe level of punishment”.
Meanwhile, NZ First leader Winston Peters said: "If someone has been killed because of it, it should be the same penalties [for owners]".
Asked whether she agreed with the two ministers, Dale said it was "very easy to focus on penalties" and instead described it as a "societal issue" that required "systemic change".
“Penalties are part of it, but we need to have contemporary modern legislation; we need to have clear, consistent guidelines for councils; we need to have funding for desexing; we need to have breeder regulation to actually help address the over population of dogs; and we need education around dog safety and also about responsible dog ownership.
“It all comes back to responsible dog ownership.”
1News has approached the Local Government Minister, Simon Watts, for comment and was provided with an earlier statement in which he said the Department of Internal Affairs was “continuing work on several approaches to support better dog control, including improving the quality and consistency of national dog-related data”.
"The Department is also working with the local government sector to refresh and improve dog control enforcement guidelines. This work will ensure consistent enforcement across New Zealand, and updated guidelines are expected to be issued by the beginning of Quarter 3, 2026.
"Following [Tuesday's] tragic event, I have additionally asked officials for urgent advice on all available options to address this issue immediately."
The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including four hurt in a Christchurch incident, and the moment a flying truck hits a house. (Source: 1News)
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