Owner of alleged Auckland cat-killer dog Fat Boy given ban after nine infringements
The actions of an alleged cat-killer dog have cost a Manurewa woman the right to own canines for three years.
Desiree Clarkson’s American Staffordshire terrier cross Siberian Husky, Fat Boy, was repeatedly found roaming and twice accused of killing cats, although the attacks could not be proven.
Clarkson alleged animal management officers had harassed her by sitting outside her property waiting for her pet to escape. But Auckland Council upheld her disqualification at a Regulatory and Safety Committee meeting last week.
Fat Boy first came to the council’s attention in June 2024 after being found roaming while unregistered, resulting in an infringement notice.
The incidents escalated in early 2025. The dog was found roaming on January 19 and again on February 1, with infringement notices issued on both occasions.
On February 2, Fat Boy was impounded after allegedly killing a pet cat. While the attack could not be substantiated because of insufficient evidence, Clarkson was fined for allowing the dog to roam.
Further enforcement followed in August 2025, when Fat Boy was found roaming and discovered to be unregistered, resulting in two infringement notices.
The pattern continued into 2026. Fat Boy was found roaming in March on three occasions, prompting infringement notices for failing to keep the dog under control.
The most serious incident came on May 6, when the dog was again accused of killing a cat while roaming.
Although the allegation could not be proven, the council determined there was enough evidence to establish the dog had been roaming.
Fat Boy was later classified as a menacing dog and Clarkson received another infringement notice for failing to keep the animal under control.
By May this year, the council had issued Clarkson nine infringement notices over two years.
The council said the persistent offending, despite education and enforcement action, showed Clarkson had failed to meet the responsibilities of a dog owner and supported its recommendation to uphold her disqualification.
Council documents show Clarkson rejected the recommendation to disqualify her as a dog owner, alleging she and her dog had been unfairly targeted by animal management officers.
In a written objection, Clarkson claimed officers “harassed me and my dog by spending most of the time in a day sitting in our driveway parking area just waiting”.
She also alleged she had received infringement notices relating to dogs that did not belong to her, including one that had died “a long time ago”, and another neighbourhood dog that regularly visited her property.
Clarkson claimed an animal management officer responded “in a cheeky smart response” when she and her neighbours raised concerns about officers waiting in their shared driveway.
She further alleged the officer told her that because another dog entered her property without her reporting it, “he will classify that dog as mine”, and “laughed and joked at the fact that he would have me disqualified as a dog owner”.
At last week’s Regulatory and Safety Committee meeting, members heard Clarkson’s objection but decided to uphold their initial decision.
Clarkson will not be allowed to own dogs from December 2025 until December 2028.
After Clarkson was issued a disqualification notice in March, she was legally required to dispose of Fat Boy within 14 days, either by rehoming him or having him euthanised.
Clarkson could not be reached for comment and Fat Boy’s fate is unknown.
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