Increased microchipping has reduced the number of dogs being impounded, says a report to tomorrow's Dunedin City Council planning and regulatory committee.
Environmental health and animal services manager Ros MacGill's annual report says that at the end of June this year, Dunedin had 16,577 registered dogs, an increase of 111 on the previous year. The animal services unit responded to 3519 complaints, of which 62% related to barking or wandering dogs.
In addition, 460 dogs were impounded, 154 fewer than in the previous year. The drop reflected an increase in microchipping, which made it easier to find owners.
Infringement notices were also down, by 31 to 706. No dog owners were prosecuted for breaches of the Dog Control Act.
Two hundred and five dogs in Dunedin were classified as menacing, and five were classified as dangerous. Four out of the five dangerous dogs were classified as such as a result of sworn evidence from the public, the report says.
The numbers
• 16,577 registered dogs in Dunedin
• 92% are pet dogs
• 460 dogs impounded
• 706 infringements issued
• Five dogs classed as dangerous; 205 as menacing.
Source: DCC animal services annual report
