Since March 2020, Auckland Council has completed more than 611 prosecutions under the Dog Control Act, holding owners to account when dogs seriously injure people or other animals.

In the 2024 to 2025 financial year alone, nearly 3,000 dog attacks and more than 15,000 roaming reports were logged across Auckland.

The rise is linked to post-lockdown dog ownership, lower desexing rates, and more unregistered, untrained animals.

A recent Auckland District Court sentencing underscored the stance.

A rottweiler attacked a passer-by in New Lynn in October 2023, leaving a 10 to 15 cm arm wound that required surgery.

The dog was being handled by the owner’s 15-year-old son.

Despite a guilty plea and immediate assistance to the victim, the Court declined a discharge without conviction, citing the severity of injuries and hospitalisation.

The owner received 70 hours of community service and was ordered to pay $500 reparation.

The dog was euthanised four days later at the owners’ request.

For Coasties, the message is the same.

These rules and prosecutions apply across Auckland, including the Hibiscus Coast.

Register and desex your dogs, keep them contained, and stay in control in public.

Head of Prosecutions John Kang says injuries can be “gruesome,” adding, “we will continue to prosecute where criminal action is justified.”

General Manager Robert Irvine is clear: “Owning a dog comes with a duty to ensure the safety of the community.”

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