The issue of dog attacks is back front and centre after a young girl was attacked on a West Auckland sports field.
Auckland Council says the rise of off-leash dogs is a concerning trend.
Auckland Council’s Licencing and Compliance Manager Robert Irvine talks to Heather du Plessis-Allan about how the Council's monitoring the issue, how the prosecution process works and more.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Heather Dupless Allen, I'll tell yeah, Actually, this guy turns
out to be fascinating. I'm we give you so many
more Pope facts, more Pope facts, and you know what
to do with over drinkies. This evening standard text fees apply.
By the way. Now, on dogs, the issue of dog
attacks is back front and center. After a vicious attack
on a child at a West Auckland sports field, Auckland
(00:21):
Council is again putting the warning out. They say the
rise of off leash dogs at sports fields is a
disturbing trend. The issue was wider than that. Last year
in Auckland alone, there were five hundred and ninety two
dog attacks. There were only six hundred six. Euthanasia. Euthanasia.
I don't even know what the word is. Euthanizations, euthanizations
(00:43):
of dogs. Lord, honestly mercy killings. Rob Irvine's Auckland Council's
General manager of Licensing and Compliance. And with me now, Rob,
I'm off to a good start. How about you, Hi?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Hi?
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Topic to follow after listening to stuff about the Pope.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Yeah, you go to pope and then you go to
dead dogs. Ok Now, listen, what is the situation here?
Have we got people walking into parks that there are
no full well of parks that are not supposed to
have dogs in them off the leash, and then they're
letting the dogs off the leash.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Yeah. Yeah, I think it's just generally that I think,
you know, largely getting a lot of people out and
about taking their dogs for a walk and they're just
using I guess sports fields is a great opportunity to
get their dog off the leash and you know, throw
a stick and let their dog roam.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Are you and so what happens if you find out
that this has happened? What can you do?
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Yeah? So look, you know, we are doing proactive patrols
across areas where we know there's you know, the high
risk spots. But in terms of if you're a member
of the public, you know what we do recommend just
just calling us on zero hundred four six two six
eight five if you're seeing a dog that's roaming and
we will come in and dress that.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
How fast will you come?
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Well, when we see a dog of LEAs or roamings,
particularly in an era like a sports field where that's
a higher risk, we classify that as a p one
which is effectively that sixty minute an hour.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Yeah, yeah, that's not fast enough because that dog I mean,
because because by the time I've called you on eight
hundred whatever that number was, and then the dog, the
dog is wandering around you tune up an hour laying
so that dog's already gone on somewhere else or attack.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Or yeah, I mean the dogs. We recognize dogs move
so quickly. And that's why I always keep on coming
back to actually the cause of problems if a dog. Yeah,
if these areas that are high risk, when a dog
shouldn't be all fleash, you know, that is the problem
with it. You know, we've got to be educating out
the owners themselves to actually be keeping the dog on
leash when when in these sort of like Higherst. Garria.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Yeah, I do. I do sympathize with you all. Cland's
a big place, right and so getting anywhere it takes
a long time. Now, Okay, Robert, if we had five
hundred and ninety two dog attacks but we only put
down six dogs, can you explain that to me?
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Yeah, I'm not so sure where you got those figures,
but yeah, we had you know, sadly, sadly we had
a lot more.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Those figures from Auckland Council.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Okay, Yeah, because last year around we're fourteen hundred dog
attacks on people perandom and we last year we put
you know, sadly, we powdered about eight thousand dogs, of
which sadly we eternaze about half of those fourth ounds.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
But how much how many of those dogs are dogs
that are directly related to the attacks rather than just
abandoned dogs. Do you know what I mean? Like, how
many dogs that attacks people did you put down?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Yeah? So I think it would be I don't have
exact figures, but it would be roughly about We have
about one hundred and fifty investigations on the go at
the moment around attacks. And you know, if we go
through to prosecution, those end up you know how any of.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Them would go to prosecution?
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Well, we chained to mostly. We'll take them through to prosecution.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Okay, and then most of the dogs end up being deaded.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Yeah, that's the Yeah, judge agrees that the dog is
actually until Oh.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
There's a lot of Robert, there's a lot of listen. Okay,
tell me something, Okay, tell me what happens if I
let's say that I get a video of somebody's dog
running off the leash at the local park and I
give it to you, what are the chances, like, what
are you going to do about that? If I can
identify where the dog lives and give you all the information,
what will you do?
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Yes, we'll go and investigate that, and they will the
likely then end up being an infringement.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
And what is an infringement's punishment?
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Fine? Yeah, So, Robert, what.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
I'm starting to come the view that I'm starting to
come around to is that we need to stop playing
silly buggers here, and we need to give people three strikes,
and if they do things three times, we just kill
the dog. What do you think?
Speaker 3 (04:46):
You know, that's that's quote.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Yeah, it's not hard out aim.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Yeah. You know.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
What's more heard out, though, Robert, is when a dog
kills a kid or scars a kid, like just happened
the other day. So what do you think? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (04:57):
So, I think you know, at the end of the day,
the key thing for us, and I keep on coming
back to it, it's a key thing for us is
actually making sure dog owners themselves are taking that response
and they, I.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Mean many dog owners are actual numpties.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Yeah, a lot of the times. You know, again, this
is our part of a big process that we've got
in a way around educating and making sure yet that
those dog owners know the rules, understand they keep the dogs.
Just like you said earlier, it happens so quickly. A
dog can be out of a property within seconds and
attack someone in the road, and we can't always be there.
(05:34):
And that's why we do need those dog owners.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
I have to wrap us up. But I want to
know that dog that attacked that little girl on Tuesday,
what's happened to the dog?
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Look, that will be under investigation at the moment. So again,
like I said earlier, we go through the process of
us we'll investigate that fully.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
And I don't get it, Robert, Why do we need
to investigate it the dog but a girl kill it?
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Yeah, yeah, there's process. Yeah, they'd get and lack of everything,
and you know, in the normal any other situation like
this where these you know, serious things happen, we do
have to go through investigation.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Pity, isn't it, Robert? Thank you? I appreciate it. Robert Irvine,
who was obviously you know, with the dogs and stuff
at Auckland Council, tell you what happened to that dog.
I don't know if you've caught up on the story,
but what happened was this little girl was watching and
we don't know the age, but she was a young
girl watching football training with her family members at Crumb
Park and Sitarangi in west Auckland and she was attacked
by a dog that was off a leash. The dog
(06:29):
was seized, has since been released on strict conditions pending
potential prosecution. It was a mongrel of no discernible breed.
You wouldn't I tell you what if I was in
charge of those dogs at dog wouldn't be released, dog
be taken out the back. You wouldn't see the dog again.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to
news talks. It'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
Heather Dupless Allen, I'll tell yeah, Actually, this guy turns
out to be fascinating. I'm we give you so many
more Pope facts, more Pope facts, and you know what
to do with over drinkies. This evening standard text fees apply.
By the way. Now, on dogs, the issue of dog
attacks is back front and center. After a vicious attack
on a child at a West Auckland sports field, Auckland
(00:21):
Council is again putting the warning out. They say the
rise of off leash dogs at sports fields is a
disturbing trend. The issue was wider than that. Last year
in Auckland alone, there were five hundred and ninety two
dog attacks. There were only six hundred six. Euthanasia. Euthanasia.
I don't even know what the word is. Euthanizations, euthanizations
(00:43):
of dogs. Lord, honestly mercy killings. Rob Irvine's Auckland Council's
General manager of Licensing and Compliance. And with me now, Rob,
I'm off to a good start. How about you, Hi?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Hi?
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Topic to follow after listening to stuff about the Pope.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Yeah, you go to pope and then you go to
dead dogs. Ok Now, listen, what is the situation here?
Have we got people walking into parks that there are
no full well of parks that are not supposed to
have dogs in them off the leash, and then they're
letting the dogs off the leash.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Yeah. Yeah, I think it's just generally that I think,
you know, largely getting a lot of people out and
about taking their dogs for a walk and they're just
using I guess sports fields is a great opportunity to
get their dog off the leash and you know, throw
a stick and let their dog roam.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Are you and so what happens if you find out
that this has happened? What can you do?
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Yeah? So look, you know, we are doing proactive patrols
across areas where we know there's you know, the high
risk spots. But in terms of if you're a member
of the public, you know what we do recommend just
just calling us on zero hundred four six two six
eight five if you're seeing a dog that's roaming and
we will come in and dress that.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
How fast will you come?
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Well, when we see a dog of LEAs or roamings,
particularly in an era like a sports field where that's
a higher risk, we classify that as a p one
which is effectively that sixty minute an hour.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Yeah, yeah, that's not fast enough because that dog I mean,
because because by the time I've called you on eight
hundred whatever that number was, and then the dog, the
dog is wandering around you tune up an hour laying
so that dog's already gone on somewhere else or attack.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Or yeah, I mean the dogs. We recognize dogs move
so quickly. And that's why I always keep on coming
back to actually the cause of problems if a dog. Yeah,
if these areas that are high risk, when a dog
shouldn't be all fleash, you know, that is the problem
with it. You know, we've got to be educating out
the owners themselves to actually be keeping the dog on
leash when when in these sort of like Higherst. Garria.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Yeah, I do. I do sympathize with you all. Cland's
a big place, right and so getting anywhere it takes
a long time. Now, Okay, Robert, if we had five
hundred and ninety two dog attacks but we only put
down six dogs, can you explain that to me?
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Yeah, I'm not so sure where you got those figures,
but yeah, we had you know, sadly, sadly we had
a lot more.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Those figures from Auckland Council.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Okay, Yeah, because last year around we're fourteen hundred dog
attacks on people perandom and we last year we put
you know, sadly, we powdered about eight thousand dogs, of
which sadly we eternaze about half of those fourth ounds.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
But how much how many of those dogs are dogs
that are directly related to the attacks rather than just
abandoned dogs. Do you know what I mean? Like, how
many dogs that attacks people did you put down?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Yeah? So I think it would be I don't have
exact figures, but it would be roughly about We have
about one hundred and fifty investigations on the go at
the moment around attacks. And you know, if we go
through to prosecution, those end up you know how any of.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Them would go to prosecution?
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Well, we chained to mostly. We'll take them through to prosecution.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Okay, and then most of the dogs end up being deaded.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Yeah, that's the Yeah, judge agrees that the dog is
actually until Oh.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
There's a lot of Robert, there's a lot of listen. Okay,
tell me something, Okay, tell me what happens if I
let's say that I get a video of somebody's dog
running off the leash at the local park and I
give it to you, what are the chances, like, what
are you going to do about that? If I can
identify where the dog lives and give you all the information,
what will you do?
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Yes, we'll go and investigate that, and they will the
likely then end up being an infringement.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
And what is an infringement's punishment?
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Fine? Yeah, So, Robert, what.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
I'm starting to come the view that I'm starting to
come around to is that we need to stop playing
silly buggers here, and we need to give people three strikes,
and if they do things three times, we just kill
the dog. What do you think?
Speaker 3 (04:46):
You know, that's that's quote.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Yeah, it's not hard out aim.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Yeah. You know.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
What's more heard out, though, Robert, is when a dog
kills a kid or scars a kid, like just happened
the other day. So what do you think? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (04:57):
So, I think you know, at the end of the day,
the key thing for us, and I keep on coming
back to it, it's a key thing for us is
actually making sure dog owners themselves are taking that response
and they, I.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Mean many dog owners are actual numpties.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Yeah, a lot of the times. You know, again, this
is our part of a big process that we've got
in a way around educating and making sure yet that
those dog owners know the rules, understand they keep the dogs.
Just like you said earlier, it happens so quickly. A
dog can be out of a property within seconds and
attack someone in the road, and we can't always be there.
(05:34):
And that's why we do need those dog owners.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
I have to wrap us up. But I want to
know that dog that attacked that little girl on Tuesday,
what's happened to the dog?
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Look, that will be under investigation at the moment. So again,
like I said earlier, we go through the process of
us we'll investigate that fully.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
And I don't get it, Robert, Why do we need
to investigate it the dog but a girl kill it?
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Yeah, yeah, there's process. Yeah, they'd get and lack of everything,
and you know, in the normal any other situation like
this where these you know, serious things happen, we do
have to go through investigation.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Pity, isn't it, Robert? Thank you? I appreciate it. Robert Irvine,
who was obviously you know, with the dogs and stuff
at Auckland Council, tell you what happened to that dog.
I don't know if you've caught up on the story,
but what happened was this little girl was watching and
we don't know the age, but she was a young
girl watching football training with her family members at Crumb
Park and Sitarangi in west Auckland and she was attacked
by a dog that was off a leash. The dog
(06:29):
was seized, has since been released on strict conditions pending
potential prosecution. It was a mongrel of no discernible breed.
You wouldn't I tell you what if I was in
charge of those dogs at dog wouldn't be released, dog
be taken out the back. You wouldn't see the dog again.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to
news talks. It'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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