Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown rejects dog task force amid calls from residents

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has rejected requests to establish a mayoral taskforce on dogs, saying it would duplicate initiatives already in place.

The decision comes despite increasing pressure from Manurewa residents, who feel that roaming dogs are making their neighbourhoods unsafe.

Brown acknowledged the rising concerns about roaming dogs, especially in South Auckland. But he insisted that the council was addressing the issue through existing programmes.

Brown supported the work of the Regulatory and Safety Committee, chaired by Councillor Josephine Bartley and supported Councillor Daniel Newman from Manurewa and the local board.

The committee focuses on improving public safety and managing dangerous dogs.

Brown and Bartley had also communicated with relevant government ministers, advocating for legislative changes to strengthen enforcement powers.

The council's Long-Term Plan has allocated further funding to hire more animal control officers, improve enforcement, trial desexing programmes in high-risk areas, and seek reforms to the Dog Control Act.

Brown said a data-led approach to targeting areas in need, including free desexing services in South and West Auckland, was key.

He also recognised the Manurewa Local Board's efforts to fund more animal control staff and was looking for ways to expand the capacity of local shelters.

Residents report ongoing issues

Despite these efforts, Manurewa residents contended that the problem remained unresolved. At a public meeting hosted by MP Arena Williams, several residents shared alarming stories about dangerous, roaming dogs in their streets and parks.

Brendan, a concerned resident, recounted, "I was fixing up my boat, and from around the corner a huge dog suddenly advanced on me. Lucky, I was able to drive it back using a rope."

Victoria, a local dog owner, was frustrated, and said the issue had forced her to stop walking in her neighbourhood.

"I'm afraid to go to my local park. I bought a house here and want to make it my home, but I'm driving to other suburbs to walk my dog. It's holding me back from making friends and putting down roots."

Another resident Ryan said response times from the council had worsened. "I've been calling the Council, but response times have gotten worse. I wonder if, after a certain time, traps could be used in problematic places."

Williams continued to advocate for a mayoral taskforce on dogs and is working closely with central government.

"Central government are holding local government back. They need to legislate for change, fund frontline council services, and back the communities carrying the burden of inaction," she said.

She thanked the SPCA, Brown, and Bartley for supporting a new initiative that offers free dog desexing, microchipping, and vaccinations in high-need areas like Manurewa.

Frontline groups seek urgent support

Jo Coulam, a volunteer with the Saving Hope Foundation, said they were overwhelmed and had seen little change since the council's pilot programme began.

The system was not reaching the right whānau early enough and lacked meaningful follow-up, she said.

Her team continued to use donations to fund desexing when they could.

"As far as the dog crisis goes, to us nothing has changed," she said. "We still see roaming dogs everywhere, and we're still getting calls every day about puppies being born. We've had over probably nearly 300 requests this month alone for us to take people's dogs.

"People are scared their dogs will be taken. They want help, but they're scared because their dog isn't registered or desexed."

A recent event at Rawirit Community House brought dog owners together, providing support, flea treatments, deworming, and information on council-funded desexing, Coulam said.

"We've met thousands of families desperate to have their dogs de-sexed to end the cycle of unwanted puppies," she said.

In one remarkable case, she shared that a dog was finally desexed after having 26 puppies in just seven months.

On the pilot programme's efficacy, Coulam said, "They need to get the people like the people that come to our food drops and our desexing talks, those are the ones you want to get because their dog, while they're not problems yet, they will become problems and they'll become the roamers.

"That's the scale of the problem if you don't act early."

Council outlines comprehensive plan

Auckland Council's general manager of licensing and compliance Robert Irvine emphasised the seriousness with which the council treated the issue, especially in high-risk areas like Manurewa.

"Dogs can make wonderful additions to our whānau, but they come with commitments," he said. "Desexing is one of the core requirements of responsible dog ownership."

The council had invested about $5 million in additional funding for animal management, he said.

This included hiring new staff, implementing public education campaigns, targeted desexing, proactive enforcement, and developing a new animal shelter.

The council continued to collaborate with the SPCA and community groups, and advocates for reforms to the Dog Control Act.

Desexing vouchers were not available for public application, he said. Instead, officers issued them during engagements or when releasing impounded dogs.

He says there was no formal follow-up process for voucher use.

"The focus of this initiative is on support and prevention, not punishment," he said. "Our goal is to ensure residents feel safe and supported when accessing services.

"The onus is on the recipient to book and attend the appointment. We've not been made aware of any issues regarding a lack of follow-up."

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