‘No child should have to be scared’
The mother said issues began when a roaming dog “tried to have a go” at her. She has been afraid to go walking since.
“I’ll have to carry a big stick, maybe I’ll carry a broom,” she said.
Two weeks later, as her 19-year-old son was walking his sister home from school, she said a pit bull on a leash lunged and bit his arm.
Although he was wearing a hoodie, the bite left “some pretty deep puncture wounds”.
Her 13-year-old son also ran into trouble on his walk back from school. After taking a different route to avoid a particular dog, he came across another one.
“It wasn’t roaming. It was on a lawn with a man and crossed the street to charge at my 13-year-old son, who wasn’t even paying attention to it; he was on the other side of the road.”
The mother said her “terrified” son bolted to get away from the dog.
“He actually injured himself quite badly because he was running so fast.
“No child should have to be scared of being attacked by a dog simply while walking home from school,” the mother said.
She said she had never had problems with dogs in Mt Albert until it “boomed like crazy” in the past six or seven years.
A social media post she made about the incident drew comments from others who said they had faced similar experiences, including being chased by dogs while checking their letterbox or pushing a pram along the road.
“I shouldn’t have to have them constantly looking over their shoulders, changing their routes, or worrying about someone else’s bloody dog because some moron can’t contain it.”
A Mt Albert mother says dog attacks and out-of-control canines are becoming a significant issue in the area. Photo / Thinkstock
‘This is unacceptable’
Fairey said that during her 2022-2025 term on Auckland Council’s Regulatory and Safety Committee, it was clear there was a problem in Auckland.
She said it reflected an increase in dogs adopted during lockdowns, a reduction in desexing during the same period and since, and broader issues with new dog owners.
Her fellow Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa ward councillor, Christine Fletcher, agreed there were “a lot” of animal management issues since Covid.
“A lot of people got dogs over the Covid period that probably had no or little experience in handling dogs. And we have seen a spike in incidents with dogs, not just in Mt Albert, but right across the whole region,” Fletcher said.
Before 2019, council was looking at closing one of its dog shelters because there wasn’t enough need.
Since then, Fairey said council has had to increase Animal Management staff and add shelter capacity.
Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa ward councillor Julie Fairey told the Herald she was aware anecdotally of increases in roaming dogs across the ward. Photo / Corey Fleming
Despite this, she said they were still “very stretched” to respond as quickly as needed.
“There has also been a big increase in aggression from dog owners towards people who raise issues, including our Animal Management officers and those who work in shelters.
“Staff can no longer patrol on their own due to threats and violence,” Fairey said.
She said there were also shortcomings with the law around impounding dogs, which council has asked central government to address.
“Earlier this year they said it wasn’t a priority, but National have recently indicated they do intend to look at it after the election.”
Fletcher said she understood there had been a dip in animal management callouts, but “even one attack is one too many”.
“We want people with their children to feel free that they can be walking safely to school.
“This is unacceptable. And so those dog owners who have allowed a situation like that to exist are really letting the whole community down,” Fletcher said.
Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa ward councillor Christine Fletcher says there have been “a lot” of animal management issues since Covid. Photo / Nick Reed
Fairey said the best thing residents could do was contact Animal Management to log reports of roaming dogs.
She said taking a photo of the dog helped identify it and build a case if it was a dog often left to roam.
“Council can create a more accurate picture of where the problem areas are, how many dogs are roaming, and the impact it is having on local residents,” Fairey said.