Dog Owner Responsibilities

Owning a dog is a big responsibility. This page gives an overview of the legal and other obligations involved in keeping a dog.

• All dogs over the age of three months must be registered in accordance with the Dog Control Act 1966
• You need to make sure that your dog is kept under adequate supervision and that it has all the necessities provided to keep it healthy and happy including adequate shelter, clean water and food
• Any person in charge of a dog for more than 72 hours is deemed to be responsible for the dog
• As a dog owner, you are obliged to ensure that your dog does not cause any danger or ill-treatment towards other dogs, people, stock, poultry, domestic animals and protected wildlife. If so they may be seized or destroyed immediately
• Dog owners must make sure that their dogs are kept under control by being on a lead at all times especially when walking in public areas
• In the Hastings urban residential area, a licence is required to keep more than two dogs
• Where to owner of any dog changes address, or if the dog dies, you must give notice in writing of the change within 14 days

Simple tips for keeping your dog happy

Checklist:

• Has your dog had enough food?
• Has your dog had plenty of exercise?
• Does your dog have plenty of clean, fresh water?
• Does your dog have shade from the sun and shelter from rain and wind?
• Is your dog included in family life?

Frequently asked questions

Q. Can a Dog Control Officer remove a dog from its property?
A. Yes - in exceptional cases a Dog Control Officer has the power to remove a dog from the property where it is kept.

Reasons my be any of the following:

• Dog threatening the safety of people or other animals
• Without access to food or water
• Subject to a formal order
• Subject to a court order

Q. How may dogs am I allowed on my property?
A. No more than two dogs over the age of three months can be kept on any urban residential property unless there has been a licence issued from the Council.

Q. Does a Dog Control Officer have the right to enter private property?
A. Yes - if a Dog Control Officer has reasonable grounds to suspect that an offence is being committed he/she may enter that property at any reasonable time. The Dog Control Officer may also call people for assistance and these people are entitled to enter that same property.

Contact

Contact an Animal Control Officer at the Council if you have any queries regarding animals on  resource@hdc.govt.nz or phone 06 871 5000.