More people means more dogs in Waipa
As Waipa's population grows so too does the number of dogs and dog-related complaints.
For the year ending June 2016 a further 253 dogs were registered in the district, bringing Waipa's official canine population to 7,738. Dog complaints needing action by Waipa District Council's animal control team rose slightly with a 118 more complaints made compared to the previous 12 months.
Nearly half (1,108) of the complaints related to wandering dogs. When a wandering dog is picked up for the first time, it is returned to the owner with a warning and is not automatically impounded. There were 476 complaints about barking with most complaints resolved quickly once owners were aware of the issue.
There were more general aggression complaints about dogs last year (55 compared to 32) but fewer reported bites or attacks (84 compared to 81 the previous year). Council staff received 25 complaints about dogs worrying animals, up from eight.
In all, 59 infringement notices were issued to dog owners last year, a decrease from 80 from the previous year. The small number of infringement notices reflects Waipa's high dog registration rate and a re-registration rate of 98 per cent. Only 92 dogs in the district were recorded as unregistered.
The number of dangerous dogs in the Waipa district remains at just eight. Dangerous dogs exhibit aggressive behaviour and by law must be neutered, kept fenced and on a leash and muzzled in public.
But there are now more menacing dogs registered in Waipa - up from 62 to 77. Waipa District Council's policy is that all menacing dogs must be neutered. Menacing dogs are classified based on their breed or type, not necessarily because of their behaviour. Most menacing dogs in Waipa have never offended.
Last year, 460 dogs were impounded in either the Kihikihi or Cambridge pound. Of those, 330 were claimed by owners who must pay an impounding fee, register their dog (if unregistered) and pay any micro-chip fees. Council put-down 56 dogs last year and rehomed 52. Many dogs were cared for by council staff until new homes were found.
Dog issues and statistics were detailed in a report to Waipa District Council today. All Councils are required to produce the report under the 1996 Dog Control Act.
All media enquiries, contact Jeanette Tyrrell (on behalf of council) 027 5077 599