A review into New Zealand's dog laws has been announced by the Government, with the SPCA calling it an "important and overdue step".
In a joint statement this morning, Minister of Local Government Simon Watts, Minister for Police Mark Mitchell, and Minister for Conservation Tama Potaka said a "comprehensive review" of New Zealand's 30-year-old Dog Control Act had been ordered.
New Zealand's dog laws have faced criticism from multiple councils and animal welfare organisations, who said they were out of date.
That criticism grew louder after a woman in Northland was fatally mauled by three dogs in February. Later that month, a father and son in Christchurch were taken to the hospital after suffering injuries from a dog attack.
In a statement this morning, Local Government Minister Simon Watts said Kiwis had been "appalled" by recent attacks by "aggressive and out-of-control dogs".
"People are reporting that they are avoiding areas in their neighbourhood because they have been attacked or have reason to believe they will be,” Watts said.
“Kiwis should be able to walk, run, or take their kids to the park without worrying about being harmed.
“Dog owners must take responsibility and keep their animals under control to protect their families and visitors, as well as the wider public, wildlife and pets.”
Watts said the Government had "heard clearly" from Local Government New Zealand and councils that the country's dog laws were "outdated" and were "preventing them from doing their jobs effectively".
He said the scope of the review was still being considered, but would look at clauses that may impose barriers or resource pressures on councils, penalties and consequences for non-compliant dog owners, desexing obligations, and stronger powers for council officers.
“We are also updating enforcement guidelines so dog control officers have a consistent approach to their work, with clarity on how they should respond and what tools are available to them."
Watts said he had sent a letter to every council outlining his expectations around dog control, encouraging them to "make full use" of their powers.
“Dog control issues are best managed locally, and councils already have enforcement powers under the Dog Control Act.
“As we review the Act, I want councils to be able to confidently say they are using every power available to tackle this issue.
“The letter also reinforces that the Government wants to work alongside them as we review the Act and continue to update the dog control enforcement guidelines.”
'Important and overdue step' - SPCA
SPCA’s Chief Scientific Officer Dr Arnja Dale said New Zealand's dog control laws were "incredibly outdated" and needed an overhaul. (Source: 1News)
The SPCA, which has long called for changes to the Dog Act, said it welcomed the review, calling it an "important and overdue step toward improving public safety and animal welfare outcomes".
Dr Arnja Dale, SPCA’s Chief Scientific Officer, said the review was an opportunity to deliver "evidence-based, prevention-focused reform New Zealand urgently needs".
"We are grateful that there is finally a commitment to a review.”
The organisation wanted to see nationally consistent, evidence-based guidelines for councils to follow after a dog bite incident; a centralised, anonymised national database for recording all dog bite incidents to inform prevention strategies; amendments to destruction order provisions to allow judicial discretion before a conviction is obtained; and the introduction of mandatory breeder licensing and puppy traceability for all dog breeders.
“Our hope is that the review announced today is a carefully considered, appropriately resourced, comprehensive and evidence-based review of legislation.
"It must be supported by updated operational guidance and include critical measures such as breeder licensing and a national dog bite database if we are to reduce dog attacks and ensure councils have the tools and clarity to act early and effectively.
“Tinkering around the edges or reacting only after high-profile tragedies will not prevent future harm. New Zealand has the opportunity to get this right.”
Local Government New Zealand President Rehette Stoltz said the review was "much needed"
“Dangerous dogs are intimidating and affect people’s sense of safety. It’s clear we need to reform our dog control laws to better protect communities."
Government's other measures
Together, the fund is enough to desex about 3000 dogs of an estimated 51,000 across Auckland and Northland that are not desexed. (Source: 1News)
The ministers said there were also several other measures in place to respond to dog attacks.
Police Minister Mark Mitchel said police would continue to work with councils and provide assistance to dog control officers where required.
"Police have a role to play in dog control when council staff have safety concerns while dealing with dangerous and high-risk dogs. Police will accompany council staff where Police-only powers are required, or there are significant safety risks,” he said.
Conservation Minister Tama Potaka said the Department of Conservation would step up monitoring in high-risk areas on public land and expand its professional hunter response for incidents involving feral or uncontrolled dogs.
“This will focus on places where dogs pose a risk to people or vulnerable native wildlife, with DOC working closely with councils, iwi, landowners and communities to support early detection and coordinated action where problems arise,” he said.
The review announced today comes after the Government and SPCA announced they would provide a joint $1.2 million grant for desexing.
“Dog overpopulation is a significant problem and is often linked to irresponsible breeding. This grant funding supports a practical, preventative measure to help reduce the number of unwanted dogs,” Watts said
“The Government’s response is about backing councils to keep their communities safe and holding dog owners responsible for their animals.”
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