WHO LET THE DOGS OUT? LOCALS FIGHT BACK AGAINST STRAY CANINES

A petition is calling for something to be done about packs of dogs harassing people in Ōtara, but local politicians – including a number of mayoral candidates – say the problem runs deeper than just animal management.

It’s a perfect sunny day for a walk when I meet Victoria Hearn and her seven-month-old son in Ōtara. But along with the usual parenting paraphernalia like nappy bags and sipper bottles, Hearn is also carrying a long stick.

The stick, as she explains, is an unfortunate necessity due to the high number of aggressive dogs in the area.

And while she hasn’t been bitten yet, she says it’s been close on occasion and she can no longer take her own dog for a walk, as he has become a prime target for attacks.

“I’ve literally been chased through the streets and sometimes there have been packs of three or four dogs. And it hasn’t just been me, as people are constantly complaining about dogs on the local Facebook pages.”

Hearn has also found it difficult to get Auckland Council’s animal management services to respond quickly to reports of stray or threatening canines in the area.

“The issue I’ve had with the council is that they’ve asked me to contain the dog on my property – but I’m not going to go out and catch them all,” she says.

“They’ve also said to me that they aren’t fining or pursuing people because of Covid – I can understand that, but we have regulations in place for a reason, for the safety of kids, and so our streets and parks can be for everyone.”

Concern over the issue has led Hearn to start a petition, calling on Auckland Council to take immediate action before someone is seriously injured.

The petition has reached almost 500 signatures and last week she presented it to the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board.

Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board chair Apulu Reece Autagavaia has welcomed Hearn’s presentation and his board will be looking at how it can support any proactive measures like education for dog owners.