Tuku amuamu mō tētahi kurī Make a complaint about a dog

Contact us to make a complaint about any dog that is:

• attacking
• wandering
• barking
• leaving poo behind
• aggressive
• menacing or dangerous.

Urgent complaints

To report dog attacks, aggressive dogs or excessive barking, call us on 0800 462 685.

Do not submit an online form for these complaints.

Non-urgent complaints

You can call, email or visit us to make a complaint about a dog. Visit Our contact details for more information.

Barking complaints

Before you make a complaint

Before you report a barking dog, consider the following:

• Is the barking or howling loud and persistent?
• Do you know the correct address of the dog owner?
• Is it safe to speak with the owner?
• Have you tried leaving a note in their mailbox?

How to make a complaint about dog barking

Find out more about the complaint procedure and read our letter template if you want to leave a note in a dog owner's mailbox.

If you have already spoken to the dog owner and the barking has not improved, call us. You can also call us if it feels unsafe or uncomfortable to approach the owner.

 0800 462 685

What we do when we receive a complaint

We:

• notify the dog owner of the barking complaint
• give the dog owner advice, information and encouragement to help prevent excessive barking
• protect your identity and take action according to the Dog Control Act 1996.
  

If there is no improvement and we are notified that the barking is still a nuisance, we will investigate further.

This may lead to the dog owner being issued a nuisance abatement notice An official letter asking for a reduction in the amount of something, or that something should stop. Examples would be dog barking or excessive noise. and other enforcement actions.

What happens next

If we receive a complaint and our animal management officer has reasonable grounds to believe a dog’s barking or howling is creating a nuisance, we can:

• send a formal letter to the owner
• issue a barking abatement notice
• issue an infringement for breaching the barking abatement notice with a $200 fee
• impound the dog for breaching the barking abatement notice
• keep the dog until we are satisfied the owner will address the barking effectively
• prosecute the owner.

If we prosecute the owner for breaching the notice, the court can impose a fine of up to $1500.

For a list of infringement offences and fees, check the Dog Control Act.