The Ashburton District Council is set to investigate a significant increase in dog attack complaints following a notable rise in reported incidents.
Recent data presented at the council’s meeting revealed a surge in complaints about dog attacks, with 44 reported cases from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024. This marks a sharp increase from the previous year’s 27 complaints, and a rising trend over the past several years, which saw 28, 27, and 32 complaints respectively.
The council has not pursued any prosecutions in the past year. However, action was taken when one dog was euthanized following an attack after its owner surrendered it, and four additional dogs were voluntarily euthanized by their owners.
Ian Hyde, the council’s Group Manager for Compliance and Development, detailed that 39 out of the 44 complaints involved incidents where dogs bit or grabbed onto people or other animals—20 cases involving people, 13 involving other dogs, and five involving other animals such as sheep or chickens. The remaining complaints were less severe, involving instances of dogs rushing at people or other dogs.
Hyde suggested that the increase in complaints might be attributed to heightened awareness and more people reporting incidents to the council. “We will be monitoring the number of complaints over the coming months to determine if this uptick is an anomaly or part of a longer-term trend,” Hyde said.
Despite the increase, Hyde noted that the rate of dog attacks remains relatively low in a district with high dog ownership. “Any attack is concerning and is taken seriously by the council,” he added.
Additionally, the report highlighted a rise in the number of dogs rehomed by the district council, which handled 19 rehomings this past year, up from 13 the previous year and surpassing the 11 and 12 rehomings in the two years prior. The council also impounded 110 dogs this year, compared to 101 the previous year, with two dogs euthanized—one following an attack and another deemed unsuitable for rehoming.
The council’s review aims to address the recent spike in incidents and assess whether this increase reflects a broader, ongoing trend.
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