ACSL Group
All about Annual Dog Registration
Here you can find out about:
- Registration fees
- How to pay
- Where does the registration money go?
- Registration discs
- Change of address
- If your dog dies
- Puppies and special purpose dogs
- Special permits
- Desexing your dog
Annual Dog Registration
It is important to register your dog every year as it illustrates the care and commitment placed on being a responsible dog owner.
All dogs over the age of three months MUST be registered. Each dog should be registered at the address where they spend most of their time.
The registration year is from 1 July to 30 June each and every year.
Frequently Asked Questions...
If your dog is desexed, you will pay a lower fee.
If you hold a dog owner licence you will pay a lower fee.
The dog owner licence test is free. Check our our Educational Work page for more information.
If you pay by 31 July each year, you will be eligible for the standard fee. If you pay after 31 July, you will be required to pay the late fee. You may also be liable for a $300 fine and your dog may be impounded.
If your dog has previously been registered, your council will send you a renewal notice at the beginning of June, providing you have informed us of any change of address.
If you have not received an application form to register your dog by the end of June, or you are registering a dog for the first time, contact your local council to find out how to pay.
WHERE DOES THE REGISTRATION MONEY GO?
Your registration fee helps fund the activities of your Council's Animal Control department. This means that the cost of providing professional dog-related services is shared between all dog owners.
Registered dogs receive a colour-coded disc that must be worn at all times on their collar. The colour changes each year. With this disc, your dog can easily identified and returned to you if it is found wandering. Other registered dogs that may be upsetting your pet or causing you a problem to your family or property, can also be identified and incidents follwed up with their owners.
If you dog loses its disc, there is a small charge to replace it. The replacement disc will have a new reigstration number.
If you change your address or give your dog to someone else to look after, either permanently or for longer than one month, you must tell us. If you and your dog change address but remain in the same council area, please contact us within 14 days.
If you or your dog move to another area, find out what you need to do to transfer your registration by contacting the council in that area (usually you will go into the new Council and simply swap your currently registration tag for a new one in the new area) at no charge.
If your dog dies, please let your Council know. If possible attach a death cerfiticate from your vet before sending us notification. You must actually request a refund and once they receive your notification, they will refund your registration for every full month remaining in the registration year (excluding June).
PUPPIES AND SPECIAL PURPOSE DOGS
Puppies need to be registered by the time they are 3 months old (12 weeks), but please apply for your registration ahead of that date.
Special purpose dogs must be registered but there is no fee. Special purpose dogs include guide dogs, hearing dogs, police dogs, custom dogs, and conservation dogs. If you own a guide dog or hearing dog, you'll need to ask the Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind, or other appropriate organisation, to provide you with written confirmation. There is a reduced fee for working dogs.
Depending on where you live, you may need a permit to have more than one dog on your property. The permit is for the property where your dogs are kept and places certain conditions on keeping dogs on that property.
You will need to get signatures of neighbours and the landlord. History of you as a dog owner and your dogs will be taken into consideration. The cleaniness / size / kennelling facilities on your property. If you move address or aquire a different dog, you will need to re-apply for another permit.
Desexing your dog has many benefits. These include:
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desexed dogs are likely to live longer and face less risk of disease (including cancer)
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desexed females won't have a season, can't become pregnant, won't attract unwanted male dogs, and are easier to manage
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desexed dogs can be less aggressive and less likely to bite
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registration fees are lower for desexed dogs
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desexed dogs are less likely to wander, reducing problems for their owners and their communities.
To find a vet to desex your dog, check the yellow pages online .
