Tessa and Mia waiting for forever homes at an Auckland Council animal shelter.<\/p>\n
Robert Irvine, Auckland Council\u2019s general manager of licencing and compliance, said even if it takes years to get a court outcome \u201cthe dog is held in the shelter the whole time\u201d. <\/p>\n
Korowai, the young American bulldog cross, had been delivered to the Silverdale shelter by police after biting and seriously lacerating the face of a toddler who had climbed on him in 2020. <\/p>\n
The Dog Control Act 1996 states that every dog whose owner is awaiting prosecution must be kept in custody and given proper care and exercise until the prosecution is determined. <\/p>\n
In 2020 an American bulldog cross named Korowai attacked a 2-year-old. Korowai was held for three years in Auckland Animal Shelter before being put down.<\/p>\n
As such, Korowai had to be accommodated while his owners waited more than three years<\/a> for their day in court. <\/p>\n Shelter staff bonded with him over those years, providing training, care and enrichment every day. <\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t take long for staff to gain trust,\u201d Cripps told the Herald. She said that Korowai \u201cbeing there for so long and from such a young age\u201d meant he became used to his routine and was happy to see the staff members who handled him over the course of the three years. <\/p>\n At first, Korowai\u2019s owners loudly vocalised their intention to have him returned to them. <\/p>\n But as the legal process dragged on, their communication with the shelter eventually lapsed and suddenly, Korowai had become a long-term part of daily life for staff. <\/p>\n All 250 kennels in Auckland animal shelters are currently occupied \u2013 and 25% of those places are taken by dogs who are going through the prosecution process. <\/p>\n The majority of dogs going through a prosecution end up with an order for destruction. <\/p>\n \u201cIf there weren\u2019t so many dogs being held in shelters at once, it would free up space for more dogs who are suitable for adoption,\u201d Cripps told the Herald. <\/p>\n Last year, 10,000 dogs were brought in, and 6000 had to be euthanised. <\/p>\n At times, dogs for adoption have been euthanised<\/a> because of the squeeze on kennel space. <\/p>\n Despite the best efforts of staff, \u201cthe animal shelter is not an ideal environment for dogs long-term\u201d, according to Cripps, who said constant barking, unfamiliar smells and the overall stress of the environment can cause anxiety in dogs. <\/p>\n On August 16, 2024, a decision was finally reached in court: It was ordered that Korowai be destroyed. <\/p>\n \u201cObviously, staff were very upset about that decision, is the only way I can say it,\u201d Cripps told the Herald. \u201cThe staff do understand the reason why, it just doesn\u2019t make it any easier for them.\u201d<\/p>\n A number of longer-term staff who had formed bonds with Korowai requested that they not have to be present at work on the day he was put down. <\/p>\n