Hawthorne welcomed the review.
“I’m so pleased it is being talked about and the Government are trying to do something,” she said.
“I’m reading stories daily in the news about horrific dog attacks on people and animals. Dogs like this need to be destroyed and the owners prosecuted.”
Giving councils greater powers when it comes to responding to dog attacks will be part of a government review of current dog control regulations. Photo / NZME
Hawthorne said she knew of another attack on a horse rider at a beach.
“I’m not sure if attacks are increasing or if they are being reported more, but it’s really frightening. A week after my attack, a friend was also attacked on our beach by a different dog while riding her horse. She’s very traumatised by it.”
Hawthorne encouraged anyone who had experienced a dog attack to speak out and report the matter.
Dogs and their owners are subject to the Tairāwhiti Dog Control Bylaw 2023 under the current Dog Control Act 1996, with dangerous dogs and attacks able to be reported to the council.
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) also welcomed the Government’s plan to review dog control laws.
LGNZ president and Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz said no one should have to feel unsafe in their own neighbourhoods, and dog control rules as they currently stood were not sufficient.
In a recent meeting, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and LGNZ discussed how the risk of dog attacks could be reduced, she said.
“Following the meeting with the Prime Minister, we spoke with frontline dog control staff from a sample of councils, who set out the challenges they faced and suggested solutions to reduce the risk of further attacks.
“These insights were shared with the Prime Minister and the Local Government Minister, Simon Watts, to support the Government’s work.”
Councils shared that overhauling the Dog Control Act would have the greatest impact and that they required stronger, proactive powers.
This included being able to intervene earlier when aggressive dogs posed a risk to public safety, strengthening powers through bylaws to require fencing and desexing where required as preventive measures, and changes that enabled better information-sharing between key agencies.
“One council we spoke to was preparing to prosecute the owners of two dogs, but couldn’t legally hold the animals in the meantime,” Stoltz said.
“One of those dogs then went on to attack someone. Changes need to prevent instances like this happening again.”