Auckland man charged after allegedly punching bag of puppies

A man has been charged after allegedly placing three puppies into a bag and punching them near an Auckland train station on Sunday.

Police said they were called to the scene near Parnell Train Station just before 7pm yesterday by members of the public, who reported seeing a man making threats to seriously harm the puppies in his possession, Senior Sergeant Dave Plunkett said.

"Camera operators tracking the incident on CCTV reportedly saw the man put the puppies into a bag and punch them."

Shortly after, police intercepted the man on Cheshire St and arrested him.

The puppies were taken to the Auckland City Police Hub before being transferred to one of Auckland Council's animal management shelters for care.

The puppies, believed to be four to six months old and of Staffordshire Bull Terrier type, appear to be bright and alert.

"It’s senseless why someone would want to bring harm upon these young pups," Plunkett said.

He acknowledged the members of the public who immediately called police, "allowing us to prevent further harm".

A 44-year-old man was due to appear in the Auckland District Court charged with ill-treatment under the Animal Welfare Act.

Auckland Council regional shelter manager Nikki Cripps called the incident heartbreaking but, unfortunately, all too common.

“These puppies didn’t ask to be born, and they certainly didn’t deserve to end up in danger,” Cripps said.

“If people would simply desex their dogs, we wouldn’t see this endless cycle of unwanted litters and needless suffering."

Cripps said registration, desexing, microchipping and providing proper care "aren’t optional extras — they’re the bare minimum".

"If you can’t commit to those four things, then you should not have a dog.

"The cost of neglect isn’t just a bylaw breach — it's terrified, vulnerable puppies paying the price."

The puppies' future depends on factors including a temperament test typically conducted on day four to assess rehoming suitability but is "also unfortunately limited by the shelter's need to keep kennels available for incoming dogs".