Auckland Council animal management describes its stray dog problem as "overwhelming". Photo: Alex Renisons/ 123rf
Auckland Council's first in-house dog desexing programme is having a real impact on the region's dog overpopulation, it says.
In almost five months 475 dogs have been desexed, with about 140 more currently being assessed.
The council said the scale of the problem in Auckland was clear.
More than 1300 dog attacks on people are recorded each year, along with more than 15,000 reports of roaming dogs, up 50 percent since 2020.
"Everyone involved in dog control and dog welfare knows the key issue is overpopulation," said Dr Roz Holland from the council animal management team.
The lead veterinarian said desexing dogs was vitally important to addressing the problem.
"Unfortunately, the barriers - cost and transport - are just too high for many people," she said.
The council programme is funded with fines collected from the owners of unregistered dogs, so the cost burden does not fall on responsible dog owners.
Auckland Council animal management manager Elly Waitoa said roaming dogs and overpopulation had become overwhelming, "not just for the council, but for communities across Auckland".
Other council strategies include dog registration drives and public awareness campaigns.
The desexing clinic is one step in tackling roaming dogs and keeping Aucklanders safe from attacks.
Earlier this month, Local Democracy Reporting claimed more than 6000 fines had been dished out to Auckland dog owners repeatedly ignoring warnings to register their pets.
Auckland Council said it had cracked down on owners, who could be hit with a $300 fine or face court proceedings.
In September, the council said its animal control staff were busier than ever, impounding more than 10,000 dogs over the previous year.
Most were never picked up by their owners, and were abandoned at a shelter to be rehomed or euthanised, if that failed.
One animal management officers, who had worked in South Auckland for eight years, said dog attacks had skyrocketed.
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