Dog Complaints

All complaints pertaining to dogs, stock and poultry are received by Animal Control Operations and all necessary details recorded. These details include:

• Complainants name, address and daytime telephone number (this is confidential).
• Dog address
• Dog description
• A description of the problem including dates and times of occurrences
• Whether the complainant is prepared to make a statement or appear in Court

Where all the details are not provided the Unit may be limited in the action they can take. This relates particularly to the absence of a dog address as the most effective way of dealing with a problem is to deal with the dog owners directly and without an address an Officer cannot make contact with them.

Where a dog has bitten or rushed at a person the complaint is actioned within 2 hours. The primary concern is that the dog is secured quickly to prevent further incidents and a statement is taken from the victim. The Officer will then discuss action to be taken with the complainant.

Wandering stock can result in traffic accidents. Any stock sighted out by the public results in immediate diversion of Officers to secure them back off public land.

Complaints laid about animals to the Police are duly passed to Animal Control to be actioned.