Animal management

Animal Management is responsible for carrying out Auckland Council’s obligations under the Dog Control Act. The council operates to ensure that dogs and other animals (mostly stock, but may include pigs, horses, etc.) are controlled and prevented from harming the public or public amenity. The animal management team is responsible for:

  • Dog registration
  • Educating the public on dog control and animal management
  • Dog access to public places
  • Dog bite prevention through the classification and monitoring of menacing and dangerous dogs
  • Complaints relating to aggression, roaming and barking
  • Shelters - lost and found, adoption and microchipping.

Quick facts for 2022-2023

  • 6,913 proactive property visits, patrols and registration checks
  • Animal Management Officers responded to 33,301 requests for service – not including proactive work
  • 2,437 dog attacks were investigated with 250 more attacks on people and 280 more attacks on other animals reported year-on-year
  • 112 new prosecutions were initiated against dog owners in the District Court for serious offences against the Act; nine appeals were heard in higher courts 
  • 116,209 registered dogs in Auckland at the end of the financial year – this is 88.2% of all known dogs
  • 6,596 dogs impounded in Auckland animal shelters throughout the region.

Quotes

  • Contact the Auckland Council media team or a communication partner for comment.

Links

Animal management annual reports and the policy on dogs

Opinion - Auckland has a dog problem and my staff are left cleaning up the mess (Feb 2024)

Stories about animal management

Stories about dogs