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.
Jamie Broderick, the dog owner, says he had no idea Animal Control could seize your pet pooch just because of an expired registration.
Animal control officers seized the family pet Stanley from the back yard while he was out.
"We were essentially 18 days overdue and it seems like a really radical step," says Broderick.
Animal Control actually went to great lengths to capture the dog.
They came down the side of the property and reaching the gate, which is locked from the inside, neighbours said they then jumped the fence and dragged Stanley away.
Broderick admits he was in the wrong by not renewing Stanley's registration, but he is angry Animal Control did not give any warning.
"I really think they should have made contact with us, perhaps sent a reminder notice, perhaps given us a quick call," says Broderick.
Auckland City Council says it's within the law to enter a property to impound an unregistered dog.
In fact last year it did it nearly 3,000 times.
'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.
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.