Report an aggressive dog

Some dogs do show signs of aggression, if controlled appropriately, people and other domestic animals, protected wildlife and stock remain safe. Failure to do so may cause harm to a person or another animal.

Aggressive Roaming Dog

If you want to report a wandering animal, your first point of contact will depend on what sort of animal it is.

HCC Animal Services staff mainly deal with wandering dogs and stock (such as a sheep, pig or goat), so if it fits into that category please give us a call on 570 6666. There is a 24/7 service for reporting such issues.

Phoning will provide the fastest response.

If it is some other sort of animal (e.g. a cat, a guinea pig or even a bird) you are concerned about, please contact the SPCA on 04 389 8044

If it is a situation where an animal poses a danger to the public, for example it is running loose on the motorway, please call the Police.

If it is safe to do so, please take a photo or video and let the call centre know you have a photo of the animal.

What we need to know

If you are contacting us about a roaming dog or wandering stock, you can help us out by having a few details, where it is and if possible any other information that will make it easier to identify, such as:

  • approximate size
  • colour
  • breed (in the case of a dog)
  • sex
  • any distinguishing features such as a collar or specific markings
  • what behaviour it is displaying
  • when you last saw the dog/animal and where
  • if you have seen it before or know where it comes from.

Aggressive Dog Incident

If you want to report an incident that occurred where a dog displayed threatening behaviour towards a person, a domestic animal, stock or protected wildlife but did not attack, please let us know. It is useful if you can get photos or video of the dog, otherwise we may require a detailed statement of the event.

What we need to know

  • approximate size
  • colour
  • breed (in the case of a dog)
  • sex
  • any distinguishing features such as a collar or specific markings
  • what behaviour it is displaying
  • when you last saw the dog and where
  • was it on a leash
  • what did the owner look like
  • did you hear anyone call the dog's name?

Report an aggressive dog incident