A Greerton couple are appealing a decision to disqualify them as dog owners despite being issued 16 roaming infringement notices in two years from Tauranga City Council.

The couple, who wished not to be named, made a plea before a council hearings panel yesterday that their pair of Shar Pei dogs are not dangerous and have since taken remedial steps to eliminate any roaming issues.

The owners of two Sher Pei dogs, similar to the one pictured here, are appealing their ban.

The complaints stem between November 2012 and last week of the two dogs, Angel and Coco, roaming free from the property, defecating on the street and neighbours properties.

There are also reports of low level aggression and growling towards members of the public.

Under section 25 of the Dog Control Act council can disqualify a dog owner for committing three or more infringements within a continuous two year period. The notice of disqualification was issued on March 27.

Tauranga City Council animal services team leader Brent Lincoln says the inundation of complaints, from eight separate complainants, certainly exceeds the threshold and the disqualification period is sufficient opposed to the maximum five years.

'Our responsibility is to the greater public, that's why we are here now because we have had so many complaints,” says Brent.

'They are medium to large dogs so there is an intimidating factor in terms of the size.”

Under the act it is an owner's obligation to ensure dogs are kept under control at all times and all reasonable steps are made so there is no endangerment to others.

He offered the hearings panel the option of 'quashing” the disqualification notice with the option of re-instating a new one if any new complaints arose.

The couple accept responsibility that their property was not secure to begin with as the dogs were able to slip through a hedge and onto the street. This has since been fixed with a timber fence right around the property and metal gate at the entrance.

The couple, who have been Greerton residents for 12 years, believe there is a level of victimisation and unfair treatment including threats of having the dogs being killed and abuse towards the family.

'The dogs are absolutely not aggressive. They have never bitten anyone or shown any aggression,” say the couple.

'We have apologised verbally and have paid remuneration for any damages.”

They believe they have met all council requirements during the process and are currently looking at moving from the suburb to the country after putting their property on the market on Monday.

'They are more than pets; they are part of our family.

'We don't ever want to be in this situation again.”

Brent says what is most disappointing is these remedies have come as a result of the disqualification notice rather than taking proactive steps when the complaints began two years ago.

'It's often not until a forum like this that some preventative steps are taken.”