A council spokesperson said they could not comment further while the matter was before the courts.
However, Auckland Council animal management manager Elly Waitoa confirmed Fat Boy was being held at a council animal shelter.
Because Clarkson has been disqualified from owning dogs, she is legally prevented from reclaiming Fat Boy or possessing, having custody of, or controlling any dog.
The council said the dog could only be claimed by a new owner if they could prove ownership had been transferred before the 14-day period after Clarkson’s disqualification and all outstanding fees had been paid.
Otherwise, Fat Boy would legally become council property once the required seven-day holding period had ended.
Fat Boy first came to the council’s attention in June 2024 after being found roaming while unregistered.
Further infringement notices followed after he was found roaming twice in early 2025 and again in August, when he was also unregistered.
In February 2025, Fat Boy was impounded after allegedly killing a pet cat. The attack could not be substantiated, but Clarkson was fined for allowing him to roam.
Three more roaming incidents were recorded in March 2026.
Fat Boy was again accused of killing a cat while roaming in May. That allegation could not be proven, but the council found sufficient evidence he had been roaming.
Fat Boy was later classified as a menacing dog and Clarkson received another infringement notice for failing to keep the animal under control.
By May this year, the council had issued Clarkson nine infringement notices over two years.
The council said the persistent offending, despite education and enforcement action, showed Clarkson had failed to meet the responsibilities of a dog owner and supported its recommendation to uphold her disqualification.
In a written objection, Clarkson claimed officers “harassed me and my dog by spending most of the time in a day sitting in our driveway parking area just waiting”.
She also alleged she had received infringement notices relating to dogs that did not belong to her, including one that had died “a long time ago”, and another neighbourhood dog that regularly visited her property.
Clarkson claimed an animal management officer responded “in a cheeky smart response” when she and her neighbours raised concerns about officers waiting in their shared driveway.
Acting animal management manager Nikki Cripps rejected Clarkson’s allegations that officers had targeted or harassed her.
Cripps said officers attended the property in response to public reports about roaming dogs and observed the dogs roaming during proactive patrols.
On several occasions, officers followed the dogs back to the property, she said.
“At no time were officers parked outside the property for extended periods.”
At a Regulatory and Safety Committee meeting in July, members heard Clarkson’s objection but decided to uphold their initial decision.
Clarkson will not be allowed to own dogs until December 2028.
Attempts to reach Clarkson last week were unsuccessful.
Rachel Maher is the education correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. She also covers other topics such as Auckland issues, crime and local government. She started at the Herald as a breaking news journalist in 2022, before joining the Auckland team this year.
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