Animal Control: Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 17 Jul, 2024 11:18am

Questions and answers about dog control in Carterton District.

Do I need to tell you if I've transferred from another district?

Yes.
You need to register your dog with us.
There’s no charge if they were registered with another council but you need to complete a Transfer of District Form.

Can I pay part-year fees?

If you got your dog midway through the registration year (1 July – 30 June) you can pay for the months remaining.

Can I get a replacement tag?

Yes. These are available at our Council Office.

How many dogs can I have?

You can have 2 dogs per property in the urban area.

You can apply for a permit to keep more than two in the urban area.
Download an application form:

I have got a new dog. What do need to do?

You need to register your dog with Council. Please contact us or drop in to Council Offices for a registration form.

I’ve lost my dog. What do I do?

Call Animal Services

We will tell you if they have already been picked up, and we will let the Animal Control officers know to keep an eye out for them

Phone: 06 379 4045
Mobile: 027 242 8919
Afterhours:027 451 5195

My dog has died. Can I get a refund of my registration fees?

Yes.

If your dog has died, please notify the council by filling out a Deceased Dog Declaration.

You’re entitled to a refund of the current year’s registration. We calculate the refund from the date you notify us that your dog has died until the end of the registration period.

What do dog registration fees pay for?

These fees contribute to upholding the Dog Control Act – it is legislated that we do this. 
This includes public education within schools and communities, maintaining pound facilities, dangerous dog investigations, roaming dog collections and responding to dog complaints. 

Should you report a roaming dog you can expect that… 
Our Animal Control team will attend and collect the dog where possible, then work to reunite the dog with his/her owner, as well as address how it was out and about unsupervised. 

Should you report a dangerous dog/dog attack, you can expect that… 
Our Animal Control team will attend and open an investigation to determine what took place and what needs to happen next. We take these incidents very seriously. 

Should your pup require a poop bag or poop bin, you can expect that… 
You will be able to grab one from any of the 9 bag holder stations and place in one of the 21 dog poo bins around town.  

Should your dog go missing, you can expect that… 
If our Animal Control team picks him/her up, they will keep them safe and contact you with collection details. 

You can view the entire Dog Control Act here: Dog Control Act 1996 No 13 (as at 30 November 2022), Public Act Contents – New Zealand Legislation 

Other pages in
Animal & Dog Control