19 Feb 2025: Mamaku dog attacks on sheep
Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Dogs attacking sheep at Mamaku
Enquiry
I've spoken with Mamaku resident Fiona Montgomerie about animal attacks in Mamaku in December.
She says 20 of her rare arapawa sheep were killed in attacks two nights apart while they were grazing in an elderly neighbour's paddock. She doesn't have the exact date to hand as she wasn't at home when I spoke to her, but said it was two or three weeks before Christmas.
Fiona says she's been working with the animal control team (whom she has nothing but praise for!) who DNA tested some dog hair left on a fence. She suspects the two attacks were carried out by different dogs.
I'm also going to be speaking to her friend and fellow Mamaku resident whose small dog was attacked and killed by dogs I think two weeks prior.
I'd like to get some comment from the animal control team about these attacks, specifically whether the DNA testing has yielded any results and whether the responsible dogs have been found and/or any charges laid.
I'd also like some comment about dogs attacks in and around the city - Fiona says they're an "epidemic" around the district and the country, plus we've reported on dog attacks in Mamaku in recent years as well. She says something needs to be done, but she's not sure what.
Is this a large problem in Mamaku and/or elsewhere in the district?
Are there any strategies to try and deal with roaming dogs in Mamaku/the rest of the district?
How many dog attacks have been reported in Mamaku and the wider district in recent years? Our stories go back to 2023 so it'd be good to capture at least that far out, but I'm happy to work with whatever is easiest for you to collate. Related, how many prosecutions has the council been involved in during that same period?
Are there any other areas of concern for roaming dogs?
How hard is it to find dogs who have attacked other animals? What happens when the council does manage to find one of the dogs?
Fiona told me animal control said over 90% of dog attacks were from unregistered dogs. Would you be able to confirm if this is indeed the case and, if so, is the council doing anything to try and address this?
And, of course, any other related comment you may want to add.
Response
From a Rotorua Lakes Council Spokesperson:
Dogs attacking stock comes down to one simple thing, roaming dogs – and there isn’t a city or town in Aotearoa/New Zealand that doesn’t have this issue.
If you can’t commit to caring for a dog properly, please do not get one. We want to stress the importance of responsible dog ownership. Dogs must always be under their owner’s control as any dog can potentially attack people or animals if not properly managed.
If you are thinking of getting a dog, please carefully consider whether you are ready for this responsibility. A dog can be a wonderful companion but love alone is not enough to keep a dog happy, healthy and out of trouble.
We have a lot of great dog owners in our district but we also have some owners who choose to let their dogs roam and this is disappointing because it puts other animals and people at risk and can result in attacks.
We are asking dog owners to ensure their dogs are secure on their property at all times and under owners’ control when out in public, even in dog exercise parks.
If you see roaming dogs, we encourage you to report it to council on 07 348 4199. Our officers can’t be everywhere at once and we rely on the public to report roaming dogs.
Dog attack investigation:
We can confirm DNA samples were taken from the scene of the first incident on Feb 1, 2025. However, the investigation into the sheep attack is still ongoing, so we can’t discuss any details at this point.
We have had only two reports of dog attacks in Mamaku to date for this financial year (the year from July 1 2024 to June 30 2025) with a total of 161 reports for the entire district. Roaming dogs is a significant problem and could lead to rushing or attacks on people or other animals.
Animal control officer’s comment about 90% of dog attacks were from unregistered dogs:
We don’t hold those types of statistics. The officer's estimation was based on anecdotal evidence rather than recorded statistics.
Note to reporter:
Your paper did a similar story last year and a lot of that information and facts are still relevant. Here is a link to that story that we are happy for you to reuse that information in this story.
Please note the council’s Annual Dog Control report for 2024/2025 is still in the process of being produced.
