By Webfit News | 17 October 2026 Fewer reported dog attacks and roaming complaints are welcome news for Auckland.
By Webfit News | 17 October 2026
Fewer reported dog attacks and roaming complaints are welcome news for Auckland. But the Animal Justice Party says a decline in dogs being euthanised raises another question: what is changing inside the city’s pounds, and could more dogs be saved?
The party has welcomed improvements in Auckland Council’s latest animal management figures while calling for clearer reporting on why dogs are euthanised and how their suitability for rehoming is assessed.
Its response follows the release of the council’s 2025/26 Animal Management Annual Report, which shows reported attacks fell five per cent, impoundments declined six per cent and euthanasia numbers dropped 10.5 per cent.
The council says increased prevention and enforcement work is beginning to show results, although dog-related harm remains a serious concern.
According to figures cited by AJP, reported dog attacks fell from 2,864 to 2,722, while the number of dogs euthanised decreased from 6,079 to 5,443.
AJP co-leader Rob McNeil said the improvement was encouraging, but the scale of euthanasia required closer examination.
“It’s great to see this data published and encouraging to see fewer reported attacks,” he said.
The party highlighted contrasting changes in the recorded reasons for euthanasia: fewer dogs were euthanised because shelters were full, while more were euthanised after failing temperament assessments.
| Measure | Previous year | 2025/26 |
|---|---|---|
| Reported dog attacks | 2,864 | 2,722 |
| Dogs euthanised | 6,079 | 5,443 |
| Dogs euthanised because shelters were full | 1,613 | 934 |
| Dogs euthanised after failing temperament tests | 3,307 | 3,567 |
Figures above are those cited in AJP’s media release, drawing on the council’s annual report.
AJP wants to understand how much of the reduction in capacity-related euthanasia reflects fewer admissions and how much reflects additional space.
McNeil pointed to extra kennels at Manukau and the Pukekohe Adoption Centre, asking whether increased capacity was allowing more dogs a chance of rehoming.
The party also questioned why euthanasia following failed temperament tests had increased, how assessments were conducted and whether dogs could receive support and further assessment in foster homes.
These are questions raised by AJP. The figures alone do not establish why individual assessment outcomes changed.
Auckland Council’s published account highlights several improvements alongside the fall in attacks.
It says direct adoptions increased 72 per cent, while 438 fewer puppies were impounded than in the previous year. Its free desexing programme supported 2,134 dogs through the Henderson clinic and an SPCA partnership.
The council also reports a 66 per cent increase in proactive activities, including patrols, inspections, education and compliance work.
It identifies the Pukekohe Adoption Centre, which has completed its first full year, as part of its expanded rehoming effort.
AJP calculates that annual euthanasia numbers fell from approximately 59.5 per cent to 56.7 per cent of annual impoundments.
That comparison provides context, but it should not be read as a precise survival rate for dogs admitted during the year. Annual admissions and euthanasia totals do not necessarily track the same group of animals, particularly where dogs remain in care across reporting periods.
Understanding outcomes more fully would require information about admissions, reunifications, transfers, adoptions and deaths over time.
AJP is proposing mandatory, standardised monthly reporting from council pounds nationwide, including admissions, reunifications, adoptions and deaths, with reasons recorded.
It also wants accessible desexing, fairer reclaim fees and processes, funded foster networks, stronger partnerships with rescue organisations and practical support for responsible ownership.
The party supports replacing pound temperament tests with foster-based behaviour assessments. That is a policy proposal, rather than an established finding that every impounded dog can safely be rehomed.
For Auckland, the latest results show progress on several measures. AJP’s challenge is to make the reasons behind those improvements clearer, while examining how public safety and better outcomes for dogs can be achieved together.
Source: Animal Justice Party Aotearoa New Zealand media release, 17 October 2026; Auckland Council’s published updates on its 2025/26 Animal Management Annual Report.
