Dog owners abuse officers during crackdown

12:27 pm on 8 July 2016

People are abusing animal control officers as they crackdown on dangerous dogs in Auckland.

dog, Dogo Argentino, generic

A Dogo Argentino dog. Photo: 123RF

The crackdown began a week ago, after a three month amnesty on menacing animals ended with 1500 dogs registered.

The council had been waiving its registration fee on dogs considered dangerous, and neutering and microchipping them - and throwing in a muzzle - for $25.

Since then, Auckland Council animal management head Geoff Keber said they had seized 28 dogs classified as menacing, and 10 dogs for being unregistered.

Mr Keber said it had not been easy, with people abusing staff in person and online, and doing other inappropriate things.

In one instance a man was holding a baby, but literally threw it to his partner when dog control staff turned up, grabbed his dog - and took off in a car, he said.

Mr Keber said owners will be given seven days to claim the dogs.

"But before we release the dogs back to the properties we've got to be reasonably satisfied that the owners will comply with the act.

"And that might be that they have to wear muzzles in public or the dogs have to be confined with better fencing," Mr Keber.

Dangerous breeds include the Brazilian Fila, Dogo Argentino, Japanese Tosa and Perro de Presa Canario - along with Pit Bull Terrier-type dogs.

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