■Dog owner Kim Webby argues stronger dog control and better owner education are needed to help keep people and pets safe.

I am a dog owner and I love dogs.

Dogs are man’s best friend, until something goes wrong. Dogs that are docile and adored by their owners can turn vicious in a heartbeat, toward other people and strangers’ dogs

Last week the Ōpōtiki News reported on a plea to the Ōpōtiki District Council, for stronger dog control policy, after local resident Awhina Kurei was attacked and bitten by two dogs in Princess Street.

According to the newspaper report, the dogs were already known to council as menacing and had bitten twice previously, with the owners issued five infringement notices.

Recently, my dog and I were rushed at by two off-lead dogs, while we walked on the cycle track. Signs on the track indicate that dogs should be on-leash.

Although my dog and I escaped uninjured, it is frightening to be rushed by dogs; barking, snarling and snapping aggressively. One dog tried to latch onto the back of my dog’s neck.

I could hear the owner coming toward the track and yelled at him to call off his dogs. He eventually emerged and called them off.

I reported the incident to dog control who were already aware of the dogs and their owner.

Following my complaint, I was told that dog control visited the owner and gave him instructions to have his dogs on the lead when on the cycle track and to tie them up when he’s not home. Basically, to do what dog owners are supposed to do anyway.

In Ōpōtiki, the three public places where council allows dogs to be exercised off-leash are the beaches, stopbanks and Whitikau (Volkner’s Island).

When I was rushed by the two dogs, I realised I had little idea what to do in this situation, so this week I sought advice from an expert in dog behaviour and training.

She advised that the best thing to do is to turn side on to the dogs and make like a statue.

She warns people not to flap their arms around, but instead to become really boring so that the dogs lose interest. If possible, people should place a barrier between them and the dog, like a jacket, backpack or purse and let the dog bite that, instead of you.

Instead of yelling in a high-pitched voice or scream, use a deep, low tone and demand the dog stop or go home.

The expert said reasons that dogs might attack or rush at people include, if they feel cornered, threatened or overwhelmed. A dog might attack if it thinks it needs to protect a person or property, or if it is guarding a resource, such as food, or prey.

There are also many unsocialised dogs that were Covid puppies.

Dogs should be socialised between the ages of 8-16 weeks, but because of Covid lockdowns that didn’t happen.

The expert also noted that some Ōpōtiki dogs are taken from their mothers and rehoused as early as five weeks old. Around this time, the mother gets low on milk for her puppies, and if she is not fed extra food, she goes out scavenging. The owner thinks the mother has stopped feeding the puppies and gives them away to new owners.

The puppies then miss out on training from the mother, such as learning bite inhibition, and toilet training, which usually happens when puppies are between five to eight weeks of age. It is not until eight weeks that puppies are ready to accept change, such as new owners, new homes and new foods.

By law, Ōpōtiki District Council is required to have a dog control policy that gives regard to:

n Minimising danger, distress, and nuisance to the community generally.

n The importance of enabling, to the extent that is practicable, the public (including families,) to use streets and public amenities without fear of attack or intimidation by dogs.

There is plenty of anecdotal evidence of Ōpōtiki residents who feel they cannot walk or cycle in public without fear.

Residents have changed where they walk or cycle and the time of day, in order to minimise the risk of meeting uncontrolled, roaming dogs.

If a dog owner is taken to court and convicted under the Dog Control Act, or commits three or more infringements within two years, the council can place dog owners on probation and even disqualify them from owning dogs for five years.

The Ōpōtiki News reported there had been no prosecutions in the past year.

Under the Dog Control Act, the council can also classify dogs as menacing or dangerous, with consequences that include orders for the dogs to be muzzled and/or on a leash in public, neutered, and securely fenced. If a dog classified as dangerous, council has extra powers.

An owner who doesn’t comply with conditions imposed on them may face a $3000 fine or the council can seek a destruction order for the dog, from the district court.

As a dog owner who loves dogs, I do not want to see dogs euthanised, but I also fear that someone will be seriously injured or even killed.

Education of dog owners is by far the best solution to this problem. Perhaps the council, could run some harm prevention workshops for all dog owners, on how to keep us and our dogs safe.