How Will We Stop Dog Attacks? w/ Auckland Law School's Marcelo Rodriguez Ferrere

Two brutal attacks across the motu have returned public attention to the issue of dog maulings that stubbornly refuses to be resolved. Since 2020, we’ve seen a 20% increase in injuries to people from dogs, coming to nearly THIRTY THOUSAND dog-related injuries reported per year (half of which are bites), and these are the numbers collected without mandatory reporting in Aotearoa.

In the wake of these dog attacks, which saw one woman in Northland lose her life and a father and son in Christchurch severely injured, many people are looking for the government to act to address this issue that frequently flies under that radar until tragedies like this strike. 

But how to respond, and what changes should be focused on, remain open questions.

To get his opinion on how we should approach the issue, Wire Host Manny spoke with Associate Professor at Auckland Law School Marcelo Rodriguez Ferrere on the issue of animal control legislative reform.