Zeus, top, and Roman, 5-year-old american pitbull crosses owned by Isabell Povey and Jamie Kenward. The couple have been told they have two weeks to find new homes for them after one of the dogs attacked a Napier City Council animal control officer.

The owners of two dogs considered the "No 1 suspects" in the killings of several pets in Napier have been disqualified from owning dogs for four years.

Isabell Povey and Jamie Kenward appeared before a Napier City Council dog hearing committee on Thursday to object to the council's bid to disqualify them from owning dogs.

However, the committee on Friday that ruled the couple would not be able to own dogs for four years, and would have to find new homes for their two dogs within 14 days.

MARTY SHARPE Povey and Kenward have been banned from owning dogs for four years. They say they will appeal to the district court.

The couple, who live on Bluff Hill, own two american pitbull terrier crosses, Roman and Zeus, who are 5-year-old brothers. They say they plan to appeal now to the district court.

READ MORE:

* MPI investigation into killing of pig by NCC staff complete

* Napier Council dog pound gets pulled up for major non-compliance

* Independent review needed of Napier's animal control practices says Watchdog

In January a council animal control officer was bitten by one of the dogs when he went to the couple's property to check on the dogs. In July, the couple were convicted of owning a dog that attacked a person, and were ordered to pay $1500 reparation to the victim.

MARTY SHARPE/STUFF The sign that was on their fence.

Subsequently, the council notified them that they were to be disqualified from owning dogs.

At Thursday's hearing, council manager of regulatory solutions Hayleigh Brereton went through a long list of issues involving Roman and Zeus.

The dogs were discovered to be unregistered in April 2016. They came to the council's attention numerous times thereafter.

They were found roaming several times, and were the subject of complaints for barking relentlessly.

In August 2016, the dogs were classified as dangerous, and the couple were subsequently found to be non-compliant with the classification, which required the dogs to be contained.

Two pet sheep and a pet cat were killed by roaming dogs matching the descriptions of Zeus and Roman in late 2016. Although it was never proved they were the killers, Brereton told the hearing they were "the No 1 suspects".

Another cat had to have a leg amputated after being attacked by dogs matching their description.

Brereton said the history of non-compliance spoke for itself, and made for "poor reading".

Povey and Kenward seemed "unwilling or unable to comprehend that their dogs are classified as dangerous, and that they are required to comply with the requirements of the classifications to keep the community safe".

Brereton said The Dog Control Act 1996 required councils to disqualify owners if they were convicted of an offence under the act, and she saw no reason to resile from that requirement.

Povey said the animal control officer was bitten only because he went to the front of the house, despite a sign advising people to use the back door.

Deputy Mayor Faye White said the couple had a long history of issues, and had been given plenty of opportunities to address them, but had failed to do so.

The couple said they were confident that, if the dogs managed to get off the property again, they would not cause any harm to other animals.

They asked the council for a "probation period" in which to prove they could control the dogs.

Kenward said on Friday that they "didn't feel too great" about the decision. However, they were happy the dogs were not put down, and they would now appeal against the decision to the district court.

"To just bend over to do it now would be a waste of time for everybody."