Three people were injured, one critically, in a recent dog attack in Bryndwr, Christchurch. A father and son visited a friend when the boy was attacked by two American Bulldog cross dogs. The father was critically injured after trying to protect his son. That same day, another person suffered injuries to their hand from a dog attack in Timaru.
A few days prior, a Northland woman, 62-year-old Mihiata Te Rore, was killed by dogs while visiting a Kaihu home. This incident saw organisations such as the SPCA and Auckland Council call for reviews of the Dog Control Act. The sudden number of dog attacks has sparked calls for change.
“These tragedies are not isolated incidents,” says Dr Arnja Dale, SPCA’s Chief Scientific Officer. “They are symptoms of a system that is outdated, inconsistently applied and no longer fit for purpose. We cannot keep reacting to preventable deaths. We need meaningful, evidence-based reform, and we need it now.”
SPCA co-signed a joint open letter to Parliament calling for the Dog Code of Welfare, under the Animal Welfare Act 1999, to be reviewed. The letter also calls for the Dog Control Act 1996 to be reformed. Irresponsible dog breeding is one of many issues without enforceable regulations.
The Dog Control Act 1996 sets out rules for registering and controlling dogs, but has gaps in breeder regulation, enforcement powers, and protections for children. Previous amendments have been reactive, addressing specific attacks rather than preventing incidents through evidence-based measures.
“The science is clear on what drives dog aggression and dog bites,” says Dr Dale. “Negative early life experiences, inadequate socialisation, irresponsible breeding, punishment-based training – these are all known risk factors. Our legislation should reflect that knowledge. Right now, it doesn’t.”
University of Otago bioethics Associate Professor Mike King says attacks typically reveal a failure of responsibility in which both people and animals are wronged. “Dog owners assume an obligation to care for the animals and protect the public. Dogs do not have the capacity to reflect on alternatives and choose to be dangerous. They become so through the conditions in which they are bred, raised, and kept.
“Aggression is a function of temperament, socialisation, housing, and whether the owner can manage animals whose size, strength, and number make the consequences of failure severe. When inadequately socialised, contained, or supervised dogs attack someone and are then destroyed, both the victim and the animal have been failed by the owner’s decisions.”
“New Zealanders deserve a system that keeps people safe,” says Dr Dale. “Dogs deserve one that protects their welfare. Those two goals are not in conflict – in fact, they go hand in hand. But achieving both requires leadership from central government, and it requires action now.”
What needs to change
Research shows that while dogs are highly valued, over-trust in them contributes to incidents, says emergency specialist Dr Natasha Duncan-Sutherland. Studies show legislation reducing dog populations is among the most effective strategies, alongside mandatory notification of dog-related injuries. Community-based education is less effective, particularly when directed at children.
“Our research has demonstrated the breadth and seriousness of the issue, with ACC statistics showing 29,220 dog-related injuries in 2024/25, with nearly half of these (14,120) being dog-bite injuries. Injuries occur more often on limbs in adults, but in children, due to their size relative to the dog, occur more often on the face, head and neck region.
“Rates of injury have been increasing steadily over time, with consistent annual rates within each region across Aotearoa, and are higher in low-socioeconomic groups and, on a historical and current background of discrimination, within our Indigenous Māori population.”
Dr Duncan-Sutherland notes current legislative shortcomings such as high numbers of unregistered dogs, minimal breeder regulation, limited powers for animal management officers, and inconsistent protections for children.
Experts recommend introducing mandatory notification of all dog-related injuries by health professionals and veterinarians, along with mandatory desexing of dogs by six months of age or within 28 days of ownership, except for registered breeders or veterinary exemptions.
They also propose enhanced powers for local councils and animal management officers to seize dogs in certain circumstances, set minimum fencing standards, limit owner disputes, establish a single ‘high-risk’ classification, and issue infringements for roaming dogs or attacks on people, particularly children.
“Successful implementation of these strategies will also require equitable resourcing from central government, and partnership with Māori and other community groups, to support low-income whānau in particular.”
