I recently received an update regarding dog bite injuries in New Zealand for 2018.

It is still a significant problem, with ACC recording 13,954 dog bite injury claims.

These injuries are broken down into the scenes where the injury occurred.

The injury numbers are: home 8,845; road or street 1,499; place of recreation or sports 991; commercial/service location 524; farm 193; industrial place 90; school 48; and other places 1,764.
I have two petitions on the Parliament website to encourage better dog control to reduce dog attacks/injuries in NZ.

As a previous resident of the BOP area, and now regular visitor, I am not happy with the Tauranga City Council`s minimal number of dogs on leads reserve areas.

`When walking your dog, make sure you have a lead with you and attach it if you are approaching another dog, animal or person.'

This is mentioned in the council's dog walk brochure. (Thank you to the good dog owners who do this).

I send a photo of me setting a good example with a dog on a lead. I am wearing my ancestor`s war medals. They cared about their country and so do I.

W Baker, Southland