Media Release
Review of dog laws should focus on safety first
For immediate release on 7 October 2009

“Protecting the public from dangerous dogs should be at the forefront of a review of the Dog Control Act,” said Local Government New Zealand regulation spokesperson Dianne Hale.

“Dog laws are highly emotive for many people. Most owners take responsibility for their dogs, and ensure they are not wandering off or posing a threat to the public.

“It’s the irresponsible owners that raise their dogs to be aggressive, and don’t take the necessary steps to protect the public that can give all dog owners a bad name.

“Any law changes should focus primarily on the owners of problem dogs, whilst giving responsible owners the freedom to enjoy their dogs within reasonable bounds.

“There is potential merit in investigating targeted licensing of owners who have committed offences under the Act or high-risk offenders that are not being dealt with through the Courts,” said Mrs Hale.

A remit was passed at the 2009 Local Government New Zealand conference for councils seeking better tools to manage dogs that have committed an attack in a public place, or pose an ongoing threat to the public.

Local Government New Zealand welcomes the Minister’s decision to review the Dog Control Act and looks forward to considering the role of local government in any decision-making.

ENDS

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