Preventing Dog Bite Incidents in NZ: What the evidence tells us, and what we can do about it

National Dog Bite Prevention Week | New Zealand | 2026

Dogs are part of our NZ Society

New Zealanders have a warm and enduring relationship with dogs. Around 830,000 dogs live with New Zealand families, roughly one dog for every nine people, and 31 per cent of all households include at least one. Dogs are not only valued pets, they have long been central to our rural identity, with working breeds such as Huntaways and Heading dogs making up nearly 12 per cent of all registered dogs, a proportion that reflects the scale of New Zealand's farming sector.

The bond between families and their dogs runs deep. Survey research consistently shows that the vast majority of New Zealand dog owners consider their animals to be members of the family, valued for companionship, exercise, and emotional support. This is not unique to New Zealand: globally, approximately 30 per cent of households keep a dog, and in many high-income countries the figure is considerably higher.

It is worth considering this as we look at what the dog bite data shows us. The goal of prevention is not to reduce the role of dogs in our communities, but to make that relationship safer for people and for dogs.

What the data reveals

New Zealand has an unusually good data set for understanding dog bite injuries. Our ACC system covers the full range of injuries from minor lacerations through to hospital admissions, providing a comprehensive national picture that most countries cannot match. This makes our statistics particularly valuable, though it also means they are not always directly comparable with international figures that tend to be based on hospital admissions alone.

A 10-year analysis published by NavigateWelfare in 2026 provides a thorough review of this national ACC data set. Drawing on a variety of sources including; ACC records, Department of Internal Affairs dog control statistics, and prosecutions data, it provides a detailed picture of trends, regional patterns, and who is most at risk.

Whilst ACC data doesn’t capture all dog bite incidents, the findings are revealing. ACC recorded 15,243 dog bite related claims in 2025, equivalent to 42 dog bite incidents every single day, a 20 per cent increase since 2020. Total dog-related injury claims across the country reached 29,220 in 2024/25, with 1,139 hospitalisations. Published research on hospitalisations covering a five-year period, found that dog bites accounted for 89 per cent of all dog-related hospitalisations, and that hospitalisation rates were rising by around 2.4 per cent per year.

42 ACC dog bite claims every day in 2025. That is a 20 per cent rise since 2020, even as registered dog numbers have fallen.

What makes these figures harder to ignore is that they are rising despite there being fewer registered dogs. Dog registrations peaked at around 605,000 in 2022 and had fallen to 578,000 by 2025. In addition, the picture is not the same for all communities and districts. The data suggests that injury rates are significantly higher in areas of greater socioeconomic deprivation, and there is marked regional variation across the country. These patterns reflect structural disadvantage and potentially, uneven resourcing of dog control. In addition, it appears that Māori have higher rates of both ACC claims and hospitalisations from dog bites than non-Māori.

Sadly, children are shown to be especially vulnerable. Because of their smaller size relative to most dogs, young children tend to be bitten on the face, head, and neck rather than the hands and limbs, which is why they are more likely than adults to be hospitalised once bitten. In Auckland alone, more than 1,000 ACC claims for dog-related injuries to under-20s were recorded in a single year.

Finally - we are not alone, rising dog bite injury rates are a challenge in many high-income countries, and the patterns New Zealand is seeing are broadly consistent with what is being observed internationally.

Understanding why dogs bite

It’s important to know that dogs usually don’t bite without reason. Research consistently shows that biting is usually a response to a situation the dog experiences as threatening, painful, overwhelming and one that it cannot control or remove itself from. Understanding that this is usually a defensive behaviour is crucial for prevention.

Fear and anxiety are the most common drivers. Studies suggest that fear-based aggression accounts for around 77 per cent of bites in clinical populations of biting dogs. When a dog feels trapped or threatened and has no way to retreat, and where early threatening signals have been ignored - biting can follow. A poorly socialised dog, one that has not had positive early exposure to a wide range of people, environments, and situations, is more likely to experience fear in ordinary interactions and may then be more likely to respond with aggression.

Unrecognised and untreated pain can be another trigger. Even the most gentle and familiar dog may growl and bite if it is touched in a way that causes or intensifies it’s pain. Arthritis, ear infections, dental pain, and other health conditions can all cause a dog to react defensively to handling it would normally tolerate without issue. This is particularly relevant for older dogs who are trying to protect themselves.

Territorial and resource-guarding behaviour can also lead to bites. Dogs may bite to protect their space, their food, significant resources or when guarding the people they see as their own. High arousal, the state of excitement or agitation that can build during intense play or in the presence of strangers, can lower a dog's threshold for biting.

Critically, most dogs give warning signals before they bite. Stiffening their body posture, staring, growling, and then snapping are all signs that a dog is approaching its limit. When these signals are not recognised, or when a dog has learned through punishment to suppress them, the situation can escalate and bites can appear to come without warning.

So what about desexing?

New Zealand's desexing rates are relatively high by international standards. The 2024 Companion Animals New Zealand survey found that 85 per cent of owned dogs were reported as desexed. This is certainly encouraging.

The link between desexing and bite risk is real, though not absolute. Unneutered male dogs are consistently associated with higher rates of aggression and territorial behaviour. Research also shows that the most common reasons owners give for not desexing their dogs are cost, the belief that it is not necessary, and wanting the dog to have a litter first. These are either barriers that can be addressed through practical support, or beliefs that are not supported by evidence. For example, subsidised desexing programmes can help lower-income owners access the procedure.

What needs to happen?

Central and Local Government

Evidence-based reform is overdue, since The Dog Control Act 1996 has not kept pace with research evidence, new knowledge, changing societal expectations and dog bite statistics data. This includes mandatory desexing requirements, better-resourced enforcement especially in high-deprivation communities, and prevention programmes developed in genuine partnership. The data to support the case for change exists and should be used to inform effective management and prevention programmes.

Dog owners

Responsible dog ownership is the single biggest protective factor against risk of dog bites. Key actions include:

ü  Socialise your dog early and well, using positive, reward-based methods.

ü  Keep your dog under control and within your property at all times.

ü  Get your dog desexed.

ü  Never leave children unsupervised with any dog, including familiar ones.

ü  Learn to read your dog's body language, and take its warning signals seriously.

ü  Seek veterinary or behavioural advice promptly if your dog shows signs of anxiety or aggression.

All of us

Dogs are a part of our NZ society, and so dog bite prevention is not only a matter for dog owners. Familiarity, over-confidence and lack of awareness around dogs, including other people's dogs, are common risk factors in dog bite incidents. Preventing dogs from biting means following simple rules: always ask before approaching a dog, teach children to respect dogs' space, stay calm if a dog approaches you and if you are worried about a dog’s behaviour let the owner know so they can safely remove their dog from your space.

Prevention starts with understanding

Dogs are deeply valued as pets and working animals in New Zealand. A well-managed, well-socialised dog is a genuine asset to the people and communities around it. The evidence also tells us clearly that when dogs bite, it is almost always because something has gone wrong in their environment, their management, or their handling, and that these failures are, in large part, preventable. 

National Dog Bite Prevention Week is a good time to raise awareness and for us to commit to doing better for both people and dogs.

Sources and further reading

Duncan-Sutherland N, Moaveni Z, Exeter DJ, Colbert J, Kool B. Epidemiology of dog-related injuries within New Zealand. N Z Med J. 2022 May 6;135(1554):111-128.

NavigateWelfare: Dog Bite Incidences in New Zealand (10-Year Analysis): https://www.navigatewelfare.com/post/dog-bite-incidences-in-new-zealand-10-year-analysis

Public Health Communication Centre: Evidence Supports Urgent Law Reform: https://www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/evidence-supports-urgent-law-reform-reduce-dog-related-injuries-aotearoa-new-zealand

Companion Animals New Zealand: 2024 NZ Pet Data Report: https://www.companionanimals.nz/articles/0tb82z5g2q0j06wnf5bppa3vyutvt4