Dog owners' obligations

Register your dog

You need to:

• make sure you register your dog before it turns three months old or if you are new to Auckland
• renew your dog’s registration annually
• let us know of any change of address or change of dog ownership within 14 days.

Other dog registration rules

Care for your dog

You need to:

• provide proper care and attention to your dog
• provide sufficient kai, water and shelter to your dog
• provide adequate exercise to your dog.

For more information, read the Animal Welfare Act 1999.

Control your dog

You need to:

• keep your dog under control at all times
• know and observe dog access rules on footpaths, playgrounds and shared driveways
• know and observe rules on where dogs are allowed off leash
• know and observe rules on where dogs are allowed on leash
• know and observe rules on where dogs are prohibited
• immediately remove and appropriately dispose of your dog's faeces
• get a licence to keep multiple dogs on a premises
• get uncontrolled dogs de-sexed.

Find places where you can walk your dog.

For more information, visit:

• Dog Management Bylaw 2019
• Policy on Dogs.

Prevent nuisance and harm

You must take all reasonable steps to ensure your dog does not:

• cause a nuisance to any other person
• injure, endanger, intimidate or otherwise cause distress to any person
• injure, endanger or cause distress to any stock, poultry, domestic animal or protected wildlife
• damage or endanger any property belonging to any other person.

For more information, read the Dog Control Act 1996.

Dog e-newsletter

For the latest information about owning a dog in Auckland, sign up for our dog e-newsletter.