Some owners would rather replace their dogs than pay to have them released from the pound.

Thousands of dogs are being put down at the Wiri animal shelter because people are treating their pets as disposable.

Six out of every 10 dogs impounded at the Auckland Council shelter during the 2014/15 year were euthanased, the latest figures show.

In total, about 2760 dogs were euthanased at the Wiri shelter, 1800 dogs were returned to their owners and 260 were adopted.

By contrast, only a quarter of the dogs impounded at the Henderson and Silverdale shelters were put down in the same year.

Auckland Council animal management team manager Tracey Moore says there are several reasons for the high euthanasia rate at the South Auckland shelter.

Council staff try their best to reunite dogs and their owners but that is not always possible, she says.

"Lots of the dogs that come in either aren't microchipped and registered or for one reason or another, the owners decide not to come back and get the dogs."

The breed of the unclaimed canines also contributes. Many dogs impounded at the Wiri shelter are pit bull terriers or pit bull crosses which are classified as 'menacing' under the Dog Control Act.

They are not eligible for adoption and must be either claimed by their owners or euthanased.

But Moore says some some people opt to replace their dogs rather than pay the fee to release them from the pound.

"It's certainly our experience that for a small number of people, when we take their dogs, they don't come and get it, they just get another one.

"Very sadly, I think a lot of these dogs are being bred by what we call backyard breeders.

"People are not having their dogs desexed so there is ample opportunity to pick up a puppy for free or cheap from your neighbour and they become like disposable commodities."

The report by the council's senior animal management advisor Jessica Moore-Jones shows 9432 dogs were impounded across the region during the year.

That's up from 7373 the previous year and on par with 2012/13 figures.

Moore says the "drop" in last year's numbers was due to the logistics involved in the council bringing animal management services in-house in 2014.

"During that time there was a lot of change and I think we had some people moving jobs so we were focusing on the urgent priorities."

BY THE NUMBERS

Wiri shelter

Dogs impounded: 4745

Returned to owner: 37.9%

Adopted: 5.5%

Euthanased: 58.2%

Silverdale shelter

Dogs impounded: 2546

Returned to owner: 62.8%

Adopted: 19.7%

Euthanased: 26%

Henderson shelter

Dogs impounded: 2072

Returned to owner: 59.3%

Adopted: 9.5%

Euthanased: 25%

DESEXING DRIVE

A cut-price desexing drive aims to reduce the number of dogs being put down in shelters.

The spay and neuter initiative Desexy Revolution will hold a community clinic for low-income pet owners at VetCare Unitec on April 10.

People who hold a Community Services Card can get their dogs desexed for a $25 donation. Two more clinics will follow later in the year.

Desexy Revolution founder Chrissy Clements says 313 dogs have been desexed through the initiative since it launched in 2014, which has prevented more than 5000 unwanted puppies from being born.

Desexing also reduces or eliminates the risk of certain cancers, reduces a dog's urge to roam and fight and means cheaper registration fees for owners.

Pit bull-type dogs and other breeds classified as menacing must be desexed by law.

Auckland Council has been working closely with the initiative and also plans to partner with SPCA Auckland for a desexing drive this year.

Emphasising the need for people to spay and neuter their pets will hopefully "stem the flow" of dogs entering council shelters, the report by Jessica Moore-Jones says.

* Go to hurrah.org.nz/desexyrevolution for more information on the community clinic at VetCare Unitec.