Penalties loom for owners of unregistered dogs
Waipā District Council urges dog owners who missed the 30 June deadline to register their dogs by Sunday 31 July to avoid facing the 50 percent penalty.
To date, nearly a quarter of the 9,407 dogs on Waipā’s database remain unregistered.
Compliance manager Karl Tutty said registration is mandatory by law for all dogs aged three months and older under the national Dog Control Act, but the fees helped fund many dog-related services across the district.
“Dog registrations help pay for our 24-hour dog control service, maintain dog pounds, dog exercise areas, provide education and rehoming activities, signs, and equipment including doggy doo bins, agility equipment and bags in some parks,” he said.
“Registration also means that your dog is recorded on the national dog database, the only national record that can be accessed by all councils should your dog go missing.”
Tutty encouraged owners of Waipā’s 2204 unregistered dogs to register them before an additional penalty is applied.
“Registrations were due by 30 June, but we allow an extra month for people to pay before penalty fees are added as required by the Act.
“On 1 August, penalty fees of 50 percent will be added to all unpaid fees. Please make your payments by Sunday 31 July to avoid this. If this is going to be difficult, then please contact us to discuss it.”
Fees can be paid online at bit.ly/dog-registration or in-person at Council offices. If a registration notice has not been received or contact details have changed, dog owners are advised to get in touch with Council.
In Waipā, the fee to register urban-based dogs is $92, reduced to $67 if dogs are neutered and kept in a fenced section. Registering rural dogs cost $53 each as they generally have less access to Council services. The full breakdown of fees is available on the Council’s dog registration page here.
Meanwhile, Council continues to seek feedback on its Dog Control Policy and Bylaw review. Close to 300 people have now shared their thoughts about dogs in Waipā.
The feedback from the community on dog exercise rules, exercise areas, prohibited areas, and other aspects of dog control will help shape potential changes to the policy and associated bylaw to be formally considered later in the year. At that point, Council will call for formal public submissions on specific proposals.
Council staff will be out in the community, actively seeking feedback on dog issues over the next few weeks - at the Cambridge Farmers’ Market on Saturday 30 July and at the car-boot sale in Bank St, Te Awamutu on Saturday 6 August.
Pop-up stalls will also be located along Victoria Street in Cambridge on Saturday 13 August and Alexandra Street, Te Awamutu on Saturday 20 August.
People can continue to provide feedback until 31 August either online or via forms from Council offices and libraries.
Online forms are available at bit.ly/Dogfeedback, or people can email submissions@waipadc.govt.nz with the subject line ‘Dog Control Policy'. More information about the policy is available here.
For more information, contact: Samesh Mohanlall on 027 240 4193