Dog owners' obligations

Register your dog

You need to:

• register your dog for the first time before it turns three months
• register your dog annually
• let us know of any change of address or change of ownership of the dog within 14 days.

Other dog registration rules

Care for your dog

You have to:

• keep your dog under control at all times
• 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, see the Animal Welfare Act 1999.

Control your dog

You have 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, see:

• Dog Management Bylaw 2019
• Policy on Dogs

Prevent nuisance and harm

You have to 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, see the Dog Control Act 1996.

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