Reporting illegal dog activity
Animal abuse is a serious crime and can result in severe penalties. Animal cruelty defines a range of different behaviours that are harmful to animals. These behaviours range from neglect to malicious killing. Most cruelty reports are investigated by humane officers who can educate owners about unintentional neglect. Intentional cruelty or abuse is knowingly depriving an animal of food, water, shelter, socialisation and/or veterinary care or maliciously torturing, maiming, mutilating, or killing an animal.
Dog fighting is a terrible crime in New Zealand and creates a place for other criminal activities to proliferate, such as illegal betting and bad breeding practices.
Did you know…
You can be fined up to $50,000 and be sentenced to a year in prison if you:
- organise a dog fight
- watch a dog fight
- brand a dog, causing pain and suffering
- confine or transport a dog in a way that causes pain and suffering
- mutilate a dog, for example ear cropping
- have major surgery done on a dog by anyone other than a vet
- perform any act that causes unreasonable or unnecessary pain or distress
- abandon or neglect a dog.
Source: New Zealand Government
There are ways everyone can help to reduce this crime in New Zealand…
What can you do to help?
- If you suspect that dog fighting is happening in your neighbourhood, please contact the Police on 111 if it is happening now, or on 105 to report it.
You can also keep an eye out for:
- Dogs with multiple scars, possibly with lips or ears ripped off.
- A dirt ring around the dog in the yard.
Keep your dogs safe by ensuring your property is well fenced and all gates are securely locked. If you do not already have locks on your gates, install them now and make sure they’re locked every time you leave the house.
Source: Police Manager’s Guild Trust