Matt Williamson, with his dog Sampson, and Todd Williamson, with his dog Rodney, walking along the Manawatū River shared pathway.

Palmerston North's dogs attacked more people and animals in the year to the end of June than they have in the previous two years.

Figures prepared for the annual dog report recorded a 33 per cent rise in reported attacks, but the report didn't say whether the attacks were against people.

City council environmental protection services head Graeme Gillespie said there was no evidence the severity of attacks was increasing.

MURRAY WILSON/STUFF Jeweller Ross Hyde and Enzo are among the first to enjoy the trial allowing dogs in The Square.

The 114 reports of attacks was an increase on 86 the year before, but Gillespie said it was still in line with the five-year average.

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He could not tell councillors how many of the attacks were against people as opposed to other dogs, but estimated about one third involved people being attacked.

DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Quinton van Wyk this year took matters into his own hands about providing a dog poo bin for the Mangaone walkway.

Cr Karen Naylor said she was surprised there was not more information about attacks on people and the severity of injuries.

"It's important for our community that we monitor that."

Sometimes little information was available, Gillespie said, especially if the dog blamed for an attack was nowhere to be found by the time animal control officers responded.

Altogether, the city's dogs, 8271 of them registered, attracted 3859 complaints during the year.

The most significant source of complaint was about roaming or uncontrolled dogs.

In February, the council began a trial to respond to after-hours complaints about roaming dogs, and the arrangements were made permanent.

The number of complaints about dogs barking dropped by 17 per cent compared with the previous year, possibly as a result of better managing three or four "particularly persistent" barkers that had caused a spike in figures the previous year.

There were 526 dogs impounded, with most, 372 of them, collected by their owner.

Another 56 were found new homes, but 80 were put down.

A handful of dogs died in the pound through illness and one was illegally removed.