A South Auckland community board has heeded the call of distressed residents fed up with ongoing attacks on pets by roaming dogs in the area.
The Manurewa Local Board has launched a plan to fund additional animal management patrols in the suburb next year.
Auckland Council data released last month shows there has been a 19% rise in dog attacks on other animals in Auckland over the past 12 months.
The figures also revealed that between July 1 and October 10 last year, there were 104 reports of dog attacks on cats across the entire Auckland region. It’s unknown whether any of the incidents were fatal or whether multiple reports were filed about the same attack, however.
Emotions ran high at a community meeting in the Manurewa suburb of Parkhill last night.
Parkhill resident Al Christ estimated more than half of the 60 residents in attendance had had pets attacked – some of them fatally – by roaming dogs in recent months.
He told 1News he and his family are still grieving the loss of their cat Malibu. The much-loved calico was mauled to death by two dogs who strayed onto their property on October 7.
“We’ve got a problem here and now that needs to be sorted – and it needs to be sorted by doing something different than what we’ve done in the past,” he said.
Manurewa Local Board member Matt Winiata said one woman at the meeting had two of her cats killed by roaming dogs in the last six months.
Winiata said the board has had preliminary discussions with Animal Management to boost patrols.
“We have every intention – from the local board and myself – to ensure that’s led and we see more patrols out on the streets, picking up dogs, before they become a problem,” Winiata said.
It’s hoped the board will begin funding additional patrols – staffed by Auckland Council’s Animal Management team – from July 1 next year.