April 2026
PSNZ has submitted to four Government ministers calling for urgent amendments to the Dog Control Act 1996, as dog-related injury rates continue to rise.
The submission draws on the latest ACC data showing 29,220 dog-related injury claims and 1,139 hospitalisations nationally in 2024/25 - rates that have increased steadily year on year.
With children disproportionately harmed, particularly tamariki Māori and those in low-income communities, PSNZ is calling for mandatory sterilisation, mandatory injury notification, enhanced Animal Management powers, and equitable resourcing.
The full submission is available below 👇