Dog seized due to registration expiry

An Auckland dog owner is up in arms after animal control officers broke into his fenced backyard and took his dog.

The family pet was seized because its registration had expired but the owner believes the council overreacted.

Ya, I do too! Give 'em a uniform and they think they're god!

Jamie Broderick, the dog owner, says he had no idea Animal Control could seize your pet pooch just because of an expired registration. Pretty sad... it just makes you want to NOT register your dog. What they don't know, won't get your dog seized (not that I'm advocating this... but it makes you understand why some people don't register their dog, apart of the rising fees!)

Animal control officers seized the family pet Stanley from the back yard while he was out.

Now THAT is illegal entrance !

"We were essentially 18 days overdue and it seems like a really radical step," says Broderick.

(...)

'It may seem as heavy handed but it is something that responsible owners have to pay their registration. That's something that we have to do and we have to be consistent with how we apply the law to everybody," says Chris Horan from the Auckland City Council.

Now THAT is really sad. One law for everyone @!! Oh come on. We know that we live in the grey. If police officers can be discrete when they issue tickets/fines, why can't they?

Councils in all of New Zealand's major cities have the same policy, but Auckland City admits it should have sent out a warning letter first.

"We won't be seizing any further dogs until our reminders have gone out," says Horan.

Since ONE News got involved, the council has agreed to refund Broderick's $300 fine and it will do the same for the owners of six other dogs seized this week.

Pretty sad that the media had to get involved. The council should have accepted the dog owner's grip, and do something.