The Auckland Council has the details of an extra 1000 menacing dogs, a year on from launching a major drive to register dangerous breeds.
Over 1200 previously unknown dogs were registered during a 10 week amnesty last year and the Council promised to get tough on owners who didn't take up the offer.
In the following month, 80 dogs were seized and the Council said they haven't wavered from their stance since.
In South Auckland much of Animal Control Officer Phil Greeves' job is spent following up on reports of dogs wandering free.
A callout from a postie to Manurewa found two large dogs behind a fence with holes in it.
The registration of the two dogs expired in June, and with one a pitbull - a menacing breed - matters were made worse.
People found owning dogs without registration are given two options: either register on the spot, or the dog is taken back to the shelter to be collected once they are registered.
"People that register their dogs and keep them under control we rarely have any issues with... but there are those that aren't interested in registering their dogs, the dogs never had a collar, they don't care if their dogs run free. They're the problem dog owners which create problem dogs," Mr Greeves said.
The Manurewa owners were fined for the dogs being on the loose and were given registration fees on the spot by Mr Greeves.
"Every New Zealander has the right to own a dog. But as long as that dog is registered and that dog is kept under control then it keeps other New Zealanders safe."
But he said menacing dogs weren't necessarily the ones to fear.
"The most vicious dog I've come across yet was a chihuahua. Scared the hell out of me because it's all teeth and fur.
"I don't like the little dogs. Big dogs you know what it's going to do and you know how much damage it's going to do if it's unfriendly. But the little ones you don't know what it's going to do, is it going to be able to rip a finger off or rip your Achilles tendon?"
Phil Greeves. Photo: RNZ / Tom Furley
In response the Council waved registration costs and offered cheap de-sexing and micro-chipping.
Team leader Alex Rodwell said it had made some areas quieter.
"There's certainly not the same number of roaming dogs that we used to have and I think that's because we've de-sexed these dogs so it's reduced roaming, I can't count how many unwanted litters it's stopped.
"And I think it's sort of changed people's perception of us because we've got this perception that all we do is take dogs and euthanise them. That's not the case, we're here to help people and educate them."
They were now chasing up those people who registered to make sure they did so again.
"Some people just think if you get your dog registered once then that's it, it lasts for a lifetime."
Bites and attacks unfortunately aren't uncommon, with Animal Control Officers seeing as many as 60 a month.
"Last week alone we had 12 dog attacks, that's just for the south area, so that could be attacks on people, stock, dogs, cats, chickens, anything really.
"What people have got to remember is that it's not just the menacing breeds that bites people. All dogs have teeth and I've been doing this long enough and seen some damage from Chihuahuas and Shih Tzus, so every dog has the ability to bite. I personally don't think it's the breed, it's the person who owns that dogs."
The Council said the pressure to register dogs after the amnesty hadn't eased off.
"We are proactively going out and following up on our dogs that are classified as menacing," the head of Animal Management Nikki Marchant-Ludlow said.
She said fewer dogs were being impounded and owners were being reunited with their dogs faster as a result of higher registrations.
Ms Marchant-Ludlow said it did not mean attacks would not happen, but it was a start.
"If they know their responsibilities and are compliant ... we will over time see a reduction in [attack] numbers. Like I say with anything it does take time and de-sexing alone is not an automatic fix but it certainly go a long way to raise the profile, their education and understanding of responsibilities in terms of keeping pets and people safe.
The government has given the Council over $250,000 towards de-sexing menacing dogs and the Council is now running a text-to-desex campaign, a move that is considered a key part of reducing harm.
With a male dog able to detect a female in heat from 10 kilometres away they will travel and fight other dogs if not de-sexed.
"Already we've had 450 [de-sexed dogs] on the books and that program is continuing. It just keeps that momentum going," Ms Marchant-Ludlow said.
The Council aims to have more than 1000 menacing dogs de-sexed over the next year.
