Important Information for Dog Owners

• Register and microchip your dog.
• Teach your dog basic obedience (keep your dog under control at all times).
• Ensure your dog has adequate exercise.
• Know the best locations where you are allowed to exercise your dog.
• Be particularly vigilant near children and closely supervise interaction.
• If your dog ignores commands: put your dog on-leash, shorten the leash, or avoid the area altogether (even if in an off-leash area).
• Respect other people’s personal space. Public places are for everyone’s enjoyment and not everyone is fond of dogs.
• Ensure your dog cannot leave your property by itself.
• Know when your dog must be on a leash, and always carry a leash.
• Pick up after your dog and carry the means (e.g. a bag) to pick-up your dog’s faeces.

The owner of a dog must keep the dog under control at all times and, when in a public place with the dog, must use or carry a leash at all times.

A dog will be treated as not being under control:

• if it is found at large on any land or premises other than a public place or a private way without the consent (express or implied) of the occupier or person in charge of the land or the premises; or
• if it is found at large in any public place or in any private way in contravention of any regulations or bylaw.

You will commit an offence and be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $3,000 if you fail to comply with this provision.

The owner of a dog must:

• ensure that the dog receives proper care and attention and is supplied with proper and sufficient food, water, and shelter; and
• ensure that the dog receives adequate exercise.

You will commit an offence and be liable on conviction to imprisonment for up to 3 months or to a fine not exceeding $5,000 if you fail to comply with this provision.

Obligations of dog owner on owner’s property

The owner of a dog must ensure, when the dog is on land or premises occupied by the owner:

• that the dog is under the direct control of a person; or
• that the dog is confined within the land or premises in such a way that it cannot freely leave the land or premises.

You will commit an offence and be liable on conviction to a fine of $3,000 if you fail to comply with this provision. In addition, a dog control officer or dog ranger may seize and impound the dog.

All dogs must be microchipped except those classified as working dogs. All dogs that are impounded must be microchipped on release, this includes working dogs.

You also need to let us know if your dog has been microchipped so we can update your dog's records.

We offer a microchipping service at our Kaikohe Service Centre or at Te Ahu in Kaitāia during normal business hours. You can book an appointment to microchip your dog by email, phone, or in person. Check our fees and charges for microchipping costs.

Please call 0800 920 029 or simply email us at ask.us@fndc.govt.nz to organize.

Did you know that it is the dog owner responsibility to inform us of any changes to dogs’ information or your own personal contact information.

Declaration of Death/theft/loss
Change of Ownership/transfer into district/Change of address.

Please email completed forms to ask.us@fndc.govt.nz

You can also fill out these forms at any of our contact centers

Fees are subject to change once per year.
Registration is from 1^st July every year until 30^th of June the following year.
Early Bird fees are available between 1^st July – 30^th of August.

Neutered dog – This is an animal that has been surgically neutered by a certified veterinarian. As the fee’s are lower FNDC requires proof of the procedure in the form certificate issued by a veterinarian. Please contact us if your dog has been recently neutered as we offer a one-off free registration so long as the procedure was completed within 12 months of the registration tag to be issued.

Pet dog: All dogs other than those classed as working, disability assist or menacing.

Menacing dog: Can be classed as menacing due to breed as stated in the Dog control act 1996 these breeds include:

• Brazilian Fila
• Dogo Argentino
• Perro de Presa Canario
• Japanese Tosa
• American Pitbull Type

Dogs can be classed as menacing due to deed by warranted officers. Dogs can also be classed as such through owner admittance.

Dangerous dog: See Dog Control Act 1996 No 13 (as at 30 November 2022), Public Act 31 Territorial authority to classify dangerous dogs – New Zealand Legislation

1) A territorial authority must classify a dog as a dangerous dog if—

(a) the owner of the dog has been convicted of an offence in relation to the dog under section 57A(2); or

(b) the territorial authority has, on the basis of sworn evidence attesting to aggressive behaviour by the dog on 1 or more occasions, reasonable grounds to believe that the dog constitutes a threat to the safety of any person, stock, poultry, domestic animal, or protected wildlife; or

(c) the owner of the dog admits in writing that the dog constitutes a threat to the safety of any person, stock, poultry, domestic animal, or protected wildlife.

Pig Dog: A dog that is predominately used for pig hunting.

Working Dog: Working dogs must be declared as such and adhere to the below definition.

Dog Control Act 1996 Section 2 (b) (ii) Working dog - Kept solely or principally for the purposes of herding or driving stock.

Dog Control Act 1996 Section 2 (a) (b) Stock means - (a) any live horse, cattle, sheep, swine, alpaca, llama, bison, donkey, hinny, mule, or water buffalo that is not in a wild state (b) Any deer, goat, thar, rabbit, possum, or other animal that is kept within a fence or enclosure for domestic or farming purposes.

Disability assist dog: disability assist dog means a dog certified by one of the organisations listed below as being a dog that has been trained (or is being trained) to assist a person with a disability:

• Assistance Dogs New Zealand
• Hearing Dogs for Deaf People New Zealand
• K9 Medical Detection New Zealand
• K9 Search Medical Detection
• Mobility Assistance Dogs Trust
• New Zealand Epilepsy Assist Dogs Trust
• Perfect Partners Assistance Dogs Trust
• Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind Incorporated

Animal abuse is a serious crime and can result in severe penalties. Animal cruelty defines a range of different behaviours that are harmful to animals. These behaviours range from neglect to malicious killing. Most cruelty reports are investigated by humane officers who can educate owners about unintentional neglect. Intentional cruelty or abuse is knowingly depriving an animal of food, water, shelter, socialisation and/or veterinary care, or maliciously torturing, maiming, mutilating, or killing an animal.

Dog fighting is a terrible crime in New Zealand and creates a place for other criminal activities to proliferate, such as illegal betting and bad breeding practices.