Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule says the law needs to be tougher on the question of exterminating dogs involved in attacks.
He was commenting on the theft of a seized pitbull from the city's pound on Thursday night. The dog had been impounded after it attacked another dog earlier this week but intruders broke into the pound and took it.
Mr Yule says that by law the council needs to keep the dog for a week before it can be exterminated.
He says he sees no reason why a dog impounded for an attack should have to be kept for a week before being exterminated.
Mr Yule says the council is taking a zero-tolerance policy to dog-owners who do not comply with laws that include keeping dogs on leads and muzzled in public.
