A major new initiative has been announced to address the problems of roaming dogs, uncontrolled breeding, and community harm across Auckland and Northland.
Animal welfare group, SPCA has received close to $500,000 from Hon Brooke Van Velden’s Lottery Minister’s Discretionary Fund to deliver a targeted 12-month dog desexing programme.
In addition to the funds from the Lottery Minister’s Discretionary Fund, SPCA will contribute a further $700,000 to bring the total investment in desexing to almost $1.2 million.
The funding follows a series of serious dog related incidents, including the recent tragic death of a Northland woman killed by dogs.
Three of the last four fatal dog attacks in New Zealand have occurred in Northland.
“There is an urgent need for preventative action to protect people, animals, and communities in Auckland and Northland,” said Dr Arnja Dale, SPCA Chief Scientific Officer.
“We will use the combined funding to coordinate and deliver desexing for approximately 3,000 dogs across Auckland and Northland.”
Over the 12-month programme, SPCA estimates that desexing these dogs will prevent around 7,500 puppies in the first year, and approximately 45,000 puppies across the lifetime of the desexed female dogs in the programme.
SPCA will focus on dogs most likely to contribute to roaming and uncontrolled breeding, specifically unregistered or roaming dogs that have not been desexed. The programme provides for early intervention, preventing litters, reducing roaming behaviour, and lowering the likelihood of serious dog bite incidents.
Across Auckland and Northland, an estimated 24,000 to 51,000 dogs are not desexed. Access to veterinary services is limited in many rural and remote communities, and cost remains a barrier for many owners.
“Working with our veterinary partners across Auckland and Northland, we will remove financial and access barriers that contribute to preventing owners from desexing their dogs.
“Our focus is on prevention. Desexing is one of the most effective tools we have to keep communities safe and improve animal welfare,” she said.
The programme will run from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, with funding ringfenced to ensure targeted delivery and measurable outcomes.
To effectively address the issue of serious dog attacks, SPCA is also calling for an urgent, comprehensive overhaul of the Dog Control Act 1996; standardised national guidelines for councils; a national database for dog bite incidents; strong, enforceable dog breeding regulations; updating the Code of Welfare: Dogs; and ongoing central funding for dog desexing and dog safety education.
