Dog Registration
The legislation relating to the registration of dogs is covered by the Dog Control Act 1996, in particular
sections 34 to 51.
The following is an outline of the requirements regarding registration. For full details, please check the
requirements of the Dog Control Act 1996.
If you keep a dog then it must be registered. Dogs are required to be registered before
they attain the age of 3 months and thereafter on or before 1 July each year.
The Register
The Council is required to keep a register of
dogs registered with it under the Dog Control Act 1996. Information required to be shown on the register is:
- Name, address and date of birth of the owner of the dog.
- Address at which the dog is kept.
- Description of the dog eg: Breed, colour, distinguishing markings.
- The age and sex of the dog (including whether or not the dog is neutered).
- Whether the dog is classified as a dangerous or menacing dog.
- A description of any tattoo or microchip transponder that provides other permanent identification on the dog.
- The registration number of the collar, tag or disc issued for the dog.
- Other information as considered necessary by the Council for the purposes of the Act.
In order that the dog register may be kept accurately, please advise the Council of any changes to the above
details - see CHANGING REGISTER DETAILS
- You will need to advise the details above for the register, and to ensure the correct fee is charged.
- To register your dog you can -
- Visit your local Council Service Centre.
- Telephone the Council's Animal Control Section on (03) 941 8666 to request information and forms to be sent to you.
- Access a printable version of the application form from the Council's website and send it with your payment to PO Box 24-284, Linwood. We do suggest that you call us first to find out what fee you will be required to pay.
You may also be asked:
- At what address your dog was last registered?
- Who the previous owner of your dog was?
- How long have you been the dog's owner?
(The above three queries pertain to dogs greater than 3 months of age)
- In the case of new residents to Christchurch, how long you have been in Christchurch?
In the case of the annual registration of dogs, owners must register their dog
on or before 1 July each year. Although a reminder is customarily sent at the
beginning of June, the responsibility to register remains with the dog's owner
whether or not a reminder is received.
Top of page
You can register your dog at any of the Council
Service Centres or by posting the registration
application form and cheque payment of the fee to Animal Control, P O Box
24-284, Linwood.
The Council action in respect to the keeping of an unregistered dog is to issue an infringement notice to the
person keeping the dog. The infringement fee for this offence is fixed at $300.00 and payment of this does not
include the registration fee, ie the dog must still be registered. If you receive an infringement notice please
read the conditions on reverse of the notice carefully.
Under the Christchurch City Dog Bylaw 1997, any person keeping more than one dog must hold a licence from the
Council for that purpose (TOMD - Two or more Dog Licence). The application fee for the licence is $65.00
(for up to three dogs), and $120.00 (for four or more dogs) which pays for the Council to inspect the dog owners
property (for four or more dogs, two independent inspections are made) and for the processing of the licence.
This is considered a once only fee; a further fee only being
necessary if a further inspection is required. This could happen if the owner moves addresses, or wishes to change
the type or number of dogs kept. If a further inspection is necessary, the
fee is $30.00 or $55.00 if the inspection is to increase the number of dogs to
four or more.
A number of other conditions relate to the issue of the
licence. You can view a list of the conditions on the Keeping
Two or More Dogs brochure.
You can apply for a Two or More Dog Licence at any of the Council Service Centres or by posting the Two or more Dog Licence Application Form and cheque payment of the fee to Animal Control, P O Box 24-284, Linwood.
Top of page
The Council has a special category of dog owner call Responsible Dog Owner Status.
Any owner may apply for this status, and their application will be considered and either granted for the following registration period or declined. In order to be granted the status the owner will need to accurately complete a questionnaire of dog ownership knowledge and the Council will also check that the owner or dogs do not have any 'blemishes' on their records for the last two years.
Where an owner has not been a recorded owner in Christchurch for the twelve month period but can provide verification at registration time that they have held a similar status with similar conditions in another local authority area, then they may be considered for the granting of this status immediately. Apart
from completing the questionnaire there are a number of conditions that apply to this status and owners must agree that they and their dog have complied with these conditions and will continue to do so.
Once granted the status remains with the owner unless any status conditions are contravened, in which case the status may be removed. The status does not need to be re-applied for each year.
Please Note: All applications must be received by the 30th of April of any year.
Also Note: All applications will be considered and all applicants will be notified in writing as to whether or not they have been granted the status.
Questionnaires are available at any Council Service Centre or you can access a printable version online.
Holders of Responsible Dog Owner Status are customarily able to claim a concession on registration fees by registering by 30th June each year.
Whenever any of the details on the Council's dog register are changed, the dog's owner must advise the
Council as soon as possible (within 14 days please).
Details that would need to be changed on the register are:
- Change of owner of a dog.
- Change of address of a dog (either same owner or new owner).
- Change of postal address of dog owner.
- Change of name of current owner.
- Additional distinguishing markings, tattoos.
- The recent spaying or neutering of your dog.
- Any correction of incorrect details.
- If your dog has died, or gone missing.
Please feel free to notify your change of details on line using the Change Notification Form or you can access the printable version of this form and post it to Animal Control - Registration, P O Box 24-284, Eastgate, Christchurch.
Top of page
The Council operates a dog control service to the citizens of Christchurch, and is also responsible for the
keeping and maintaining of a register of all dogs registered with the Christchurch area.
The dog control service encompasses a large number of responsibilities including the actioning of complaints
about dog nuisances like wandering, barking and fouling; the picking up of wandering dogs; care for impounded
dogs, and an education and awareness programme amongst city schools.
Although separate fees are payable for release of impounded dogs, these unfortunately do not cover the total
cost of running the City Dog Shelter.
The dog control service, the keeping of the dog register and the balance of funding for the dog shelter all
comes from the dog registration fee. Little funding for these services comes from other sources eg rates.
Under section 9 of the Dog Control Act 1996, registration fees must be used only for dog control purposes.
The graph below shows under which broad categories the registration fee is expended.
Registration Breakdown
The Animal Control Administration Support Team numbers 4.4 FTE's (Full time employees). The Team is
responsible for the maintenance of the Council's dog register and the annual registration process as well as
providing Administration support for the section's Team Leader and 9 Animal Control Officers.
This includes receipt of complaints via the Council's Customer Centre network, offering help and assistance to callers on dog related matters and the scheduling
of work for the officers. Because the Council's register shows approximately
28,500 dogs, there are
significant changes to be made each year. This includes changes of address, and/or owners, new dogs on records,
dogs that have died etc.
Customarily most of these changes come to hand in response to the Council's annual
mailing of registration reminders. However the efficiency of the team and the registration process would
benefit greatly from timely notification of those changes as they happen.
If you have any queries about the registration of dogs in Christchurch or have an amendment to your dog's
register details, one of the registration staff would be happy to assist you.
Please phone: 941 8666.
Top of page
The Dog Control Act 1996 requires the Council to fix by resolution, the fees payable to register a dog in the Christchurch area.
Click here to see the latest Christchurch fee schedule (PDF, 44KB, free PDF reader)
The Council currently fixes:
- a fee for registration of a dog that has been spayed or neutered
- fees for the registration dogs owned by holders of the "Responsible Dog Owner Status".
- a fee for the registration of a dog classified as Dangerous under section 31 of the Dog Control Act 1996.
- A NIL fee for the registration of:
- Guide Dogs for the Blind
- Companion Dogs
- Hearing Ear Dogs
Note: Strict criteria relate to dogs in the above three categories
- A fee for registration of " All other dogs" (Dogs for whom the above categories do not apply)
- By way of a penalty, additional fees for the registration on or after 1 August, of a dog that was required to be registered on 1 July
- Note:
Failure to register by the due date (on or before the 1st July), renders a dog owner holding Responsible Dog Owner status liable to cancellation of their status and disqualification from obtaining such status for two years.
- Dogs that are required to be registered part way through the year (eg, new puppies) are charged at a rate pro-rata the applicable fee for a full year.
Where a fee for the registration of a dog has been paid, and the dog dies before the commencement of or during
the registration year, the Council will refund upon written request, a proportion of the fee paid, calculated on
the complete months yet to run in the registration year after the date of the application for the refund. (this is
to encourage timely although not necessarily immediate notification of the death to the Council)
Note: The Council will not refund a proportion of the registration fee in respect of a dog that has been
lost, or has changed owners or districts within New Zealand.
For more information please contact Animal Control: Animal.Control@ccc.govt.nz Phone: 941 8666
|
