Free desexing of ‘menacing’ dogs
Owners of dogs classified as menacing can save up to $300 by having their pets neutered for free.
Auckland Council has launched a free campaign, called Txt2desex where owners could send a text message to express their interest in the free service.
Spokesperson Sharon Buckland said up to 1000 dogs would be neutered under the initiative, funded with $260,000 of central government money.
The cost of desexing was usually between $180 and $300 depending on the vet and the dog’s gender, she said.
Waitakere councillor Linda Cooper said desexing dogs classified as menacing could reduce the number of dog attacks on children.
‘‘The only way you can do that is start to reduce the number of those dogs, so if we can get them neutered, we can start to reduce that.’’
West Auckland was the second worst area for dog attacks, just behind south Auckland, Cooper said.
She said west Auckland dog owners usually wanted to desex their dogs but couldn’t afford to.
‘‘We applied for Government funding and we received it so that we can actually offer that free service to menacing and pitbull dog owners.’’
Dogs breeds classifies as menacing are the brazilian fila, japanese tosa, dogo argentino, perro de presa canario and pitbull-like breeds including staffordshire bull terriers.
Such dogs must be muzzled in public, microchipped and desexed.
‘‘We are not trying to take dogs off people – we just want to get them neutered,’’ Cooper said.
There had been 43 dog attacks on people in west Auckland reported to the council’s Animal Management department by March 16.
This included a pregnant woman from Green Bay who had been attacked by a staffordshire bull terrier on March 10, who needed medical treatment for a leg wound.
Those who wanted to get their dog desexed can text ‘yes’ to 3169 to show their interest.
In order to be desexed for free, dogs must be registered and classified as menacing under the Dog Control Act 1996.
Owners could Text2desex and then register their dogs as part of the process, Cooper said.
The Auckland Council campaign will run until June 30.
Go to aucklandcouncil.govt/dogs for more.