{"id":172422,"date":"2025-12-07T18:47:06","date_gmt":"2025-12-07T18:47:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/172422\/"},"modified":"2025-12-07T18:47:06","modified_gmt":"2025-12-07T18:47:06","slug":"roaming-dog-reports-rise-in-western-bay-and-tauranga-but-attacks-down","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/172422\/","title":{"rendered":"Roaming dog reports rise in Western Bay and Tauranga, but attacks down"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dog incident data <\/p>\n

The Western Bay of Plenty District Council recorded 30 reports of people being attacked by dogs in the 12 months to June 30, down from 37 the year before.<\/p>\n

Complaints about dogs attacking animals also dropped, from 118 to 100, but roaming dog reports surged from 271 to 496.<\/p>\n

Tauranga District Council regulatory services general manager Alison Curtis said the rise in roaming dogs was concerning because it increased the risk of aggression and attacks.<\/p>\n

She said the issue was taken seriously.<\/p>\n

\u201cAny dog found roaming will be impounded. If the owner can be identified, they may face a $300 infringement after a warning.\u201d<\/p>\n

The council recorded 69 attacks on people in the 12 months to June 30, five fewer than the previous period.<\/p>\n

There were 1100 roaming dog reports, up 16% on the prior year and 24% over five years. The number of known dogs in the city increased about 7% in that time to just over 15,900, council data showed.<\/p>\n

Attacks on domestic animals dropped from 120 in 2023\/24 to 109.<\/p>\n

Council animal services team leader Oscar Glossop said all reported dog attacks were investigated.<\/p>\n

Actions against dog owners could range from a warning in situations where there is no injury, or prosecution for more serious cases, with the dog impounded and euthanised.<\/p>\n

Glossop said anyone confronted by an aggressive dog should not try to hit it or run.<\/p>\n

\u201cStop, hold anything you have between you and the dog and slowly back away until the dog has lost interest in you. Keep turning to face the dog if it tries to get behind you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Such incidents, as well as roaming dogs, should be reported to the council. <\/p>\n

Roaming dogs and rising risks<\/p>\n

Bilbo\u2019s Dogpaws Rescue owner Billie Te Tau said roaming dogs were a growing problem<\/a> and they could turn aggressive without warning.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen roaming dogs fighting, tearing ears off each other, biting faces and necks,\u201d said the Welcome Bay resident.<\/p>\n

Te Tau said education and accountability were key. She said owners should ensure dogs were contained, microchipped, desexed and registered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a recognised need for education on safety and responsible dog ownership in our schools,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n

\u201cUnrestrained animals in our communities are posing a threat to people daily, to the point where some feel unsafe to walk around.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Bilbo\u2019sBilbo\u2019s Dogpaws Rescue owner Billie Te Tau and 1-year-old rescue Gunner. Photo \/ Brydie Thompson<\/p>\n

Her advice was simple: \u201cDo not approach a roaming dog. If a dog is on its own, leave it well alone. When it\u2019s time for a snack, keep well back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aggression can stem from \u201cmany factors\u201d \u2013 fear, injury, old age, lack of socialisation, past trauma, or territorial instincts.<\/p>\n

\u201cA scared dog in an unfamiliar place may become aggressive, especially if it feels threatened,\u201d Te Tau said.<\/p>\n

She said mother dogs often showed aggression when protecting puppies, and injured dogs could snap at anything \u2013 even a helping hand.<\/p>\n

Te Tau\u2019s rescue desexed as many dogs as possible when litters came in.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s vital to reduce the number of unwanted puppies, often from roaming dogs,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Education after tragedy<\/p>\n

Dog behaviourist Maree Hart, owner of training service Dog Logic in Pyes P\u0101, said a fatal dog attack in Katikati this year highlighted the need for education on responsible dog ownership.<\/p>\n

Four-year-old Timothy Tu\u2019uaki Rolleston-Bryan<\/a> died after being mauled by three dogs at a Tuapiro property in March. <\/p>\n

The dogs \u2013 an American bulldog cross, a border collie-mastiff cross and a Staffordshire bull terrier \u2013 were euthanised<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Police said the investigation into the incident continues, and no charges have been laid.<\/p>\n

After the tragedy, the little boy\u2019s wh\u0101nau<\/a> spoke of the need for more awareness and education about how children could safely interact with dogs.<\/p>\n

Hart agreed with that message.<\/p>\n

She recalled a recent case where a child hugged a family dog, startling it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe dog showed whale eye \u2013 a sign of fear. If that wasn\u2019t addressed, it could have led to a bite.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hart said many people misread dog behaviour. \u201cOver-excitement is often overwhelm. If not managed, it can escalate.\u201d<\/p>\n

She planned to tour the country teaching families<\/a> how to keep children safe around dogs.<\/p>\n

\" Dog Logic owner and dog behaviourist, Maree Hart with a trainee dog. Photo \/ Brydie Thompson<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are still so many parents letting kids rush up and pat dogs. That should not be happening,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Hart, who had worked in dog training for more than 30 years, said most aggression stemmed from fear or poor handling.<\/p>\n

\u201cDogs don\u2019t want to be aggressive. It\u2019s usually caused by incorrect training or lack of boundaries.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said over-loving dogs without rules could be just as harmful as neglected ones.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou would become aggressive if I touched you like some people slap dogs,\u201d Hart said.<\/p>\n

Her goal was to teach owners how to communicate effectively and build strong relationships with their dogs.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s incredibly rewarding to see a dog calm down and a family feel safe,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Dog incident data The Western Bay of Plenty District Council recorded 30 reports of people being attacked by…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":172423,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[95,5660,1561,3013,124,8452,9219,9213,6097,5658,305,78,7240,130,111,43,139,69,1562,766,1436,81689,111298,101582,1227,131,49649,1455,3457,102,379],"class_list":["post-172422","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-zealand","tag-and","tag-attacks","tag-bay","tag-but","tag-could","tag-dangerous","tag-dog","tag-dogs","tag-down","tag-experts","tag-have","tag-in","tag-lead","tag-more","tag-new-zealand","tag-news","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-plenty","tag-reports","tag-rise","tag-risen","tag-roaming","tag-situations","tag-tauranga","tag-than","tag-unpredictable","tag-warning","tag-western","tag-with","tag-year"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172422","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=172422"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172422\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/172423"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=172422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=172422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=172422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}