A report reveals hundreds of Christchurch dog attacks have been taken seriously over the past year.

The Dog Control report being presented to council this week shows the number of registered dogs in Christchurch has risen by almost 1,000 over the past year to 38,500.

It says council investigated 726 'priority one' dog attacks on persons or other animals between 2017 and 2018.

Council received almost 10,000 complaints relating to dogs barking, not being registered, wandering, rushing or attacking domestic animals.

Almost 1,500 infringement notices were issued, with one person disqualified from owning dogs, five people on probation and three prosecutions.

The report comes as public submissions open on the Dog Control Amendment Bill, aimed at reducing the amount of time it takes for charges to be heard by Justices of the Peace and Community Magistrates.

The report highlights for one mother the need for harsher and faster penalties for owners of attacking dogs.

Chontelle's three-year-old daughter was attacked by a stranger's dog a couple of months after the major Christchurch earthquakes.

She said the current penalty system isn't good enough and a three-strike system would be better.

"If you get caught speeding, you get a ticket there and then. Essentially something like that needs to come in where it doesn't even need to go before a judge, if there's obvious evidence and there's an admission from someone that 'yes, my dog did that', then maybe it's time to start hitting people where it hurts, which is right in the wallet."

She said that attacks in the city remain a serious problem.

"If it's being addressed via the powers that be, only good can come of it. It's long overdue to be looked at."