‘Very vicious’ dog on loose near Auckland school, students held back

Children at a northwest Auckland primary school were held back as a precaution this afternoon after a dog described as “very vicious” escaped from a nearby property.

Taupaki School acting principal Evan Barker told the Herald the school was alerted to the loose dog near a park where children were often picked up.

The alert followed a warning posted to a local community Facebook group by the dog’s owner.

“My new puppy has gotten out on Taupaki Road,” she wrote.

“Please let me know if you see him but do not approach! He is very vicious and has just bolted out the gate.”

The owner said the brown dog, which has distinctive white markings on its chest, was wearing a blue harness and shared a photograph to help residents identify it.

The warning prompted concern among residents, with one commenter urging people to contact animal control if the dog was not contained.

Another raised concerns about the potential danger to children and livestock.

Barker said the school put a safety plan in place, keeping pupils at school while parents arranged to collect them.

“We had a clear plan in place, the school’s usual communication system worked well and parents understood the decision,” he said.

“The safety of the children was paramount.”

He said the dog had not entered school grounds as far as he was aware and all students had since been safely collected.

An Auckland Council spokesperson said animal management officers were attending the incident and working to help the owner capture the dog, which was believed to be on a neighbouring property.

Taupaki School is a co-educational primary school catering for Years 1 to 8, with 232 students enrolled as of July last year, according to Ministry of Education figures.

The Herald has approached the dog’s owner for comment.